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Nail-biter spending vote could hinge on Trump-district Democrats

4 35
11.03.2025

Centrist Democrats are keeping ‘em guessing.

Heading into Tuesday’s vote to fund the federal government, almost a dozen House Democrats in Trump-won districts have yet to reveal if they’ll join Democratic leaders to oppose the GOP bill, or hop the aisle to help Republicans send the package to the Senate.

Where they land — and in what numbers — could decide the bill’s fate in the lower chamber, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is scrambling at the 11th hour to ease the concerns of on-the-fence Republicans, particularly conservative spending hawks, who have yet to commit their support. Just two GOP defections would sink the bill, if Democrats are united against it, and already Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) is a sturdy no.

The razor-thin margins have put a spotlight on the battleground-district Democrats, who are under pressure to stick with their party in opposition to the package — which Democrats say is a threat to basic public services around the country — but also don’t want to expose themselves to GOP attacks that they supported a government shutdown. Already, GOP campaign operatives are honing their messaging barrage.

The vote presents the first real challenge of the new Congress for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his leadership team, who are racing to rally their troops, maximize the opposition and force Johnson to get his divided conference in line.

Heading into the vote, Democratic leaders are formally whipping rank-and-file Democrats to reject the measure, according to the office of Rep. Katherine Clark (Mass.), the Democratic whip. And Jeffries on Monday hammered the GOP bill for slashing federal benefits programs and suggested an overwhelming majority of Democrats will vote no.

“The House Republican so-called........

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