EDITORIAL: To end the Schumer shutdown, Republicans should get out of D.C. and get in front of voters
Republicans, this is our chance to put the screws on the Democrats. Get out of D.C., get real with America, and watch the political bill come due for the Democrats.
The Schumer Shutdown is a national disgrace. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., NY) put his fear of a left-wing primary ahead of the country. And to make matters worse, sources tell the Washington Reporter that Schumer is keeping the government shut so he can speak at the “No Kings Rally” on October 18th — an event described by a source as “a gathering of mentally-unwell boomer libs.”
The Washington Reporter commends President Donald Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.), and Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) for their steadfast courage in refusing to give into the Democrats’ outrageous demands. If the majority party gives into far-reaching policy demands in exchange for a clean continuing resolution, the Democrats will do this time and time again.
Now, Republicans have a great opportunity to put more pressure on the Democrats and increase the chance that Democrats relent and end the shutdown. Rather than hunkering down in the Beltway echo chamber and taking the same vote over and over, GOP lawmakers should seize this opportunity to make the Democrats’ own the pain of their shutdown. It’s time for our members to get home and hit the campaign trail early — town halls in Ohio barns, diner chats in Pennsylvania, and factory floor visits in Alabama — to explain the human toll of Schumer’s disgraceful behavior.
The cost of Schumer’s shutdown is real. Next week, our troops will no longer receive their paychecks. Lines are growing at airports. And families that rely on nutrition programs will be left with nothing. But we cannot rely on the liberal media to make this case to our voters. This is why our Republican lawmakers should immediately get home to their states and districts to hold townhalls on the cost of the Schumer shutdown.
Mike Fragoso, the former chief counsel to the Senate leadership and a deeply-respected Republican strategist, told the Reporter that “there isn’t much of a point to these CR votes. The jailbreak hasn’t happened because everyone is in D.C. where the press carries water for the Democrats. At this point it’s worth considering just confirming the four circuit judges and going home to make the case directly to voters — this both lets Republicans argue for a clean CR and makes Democrats confront their voters hurt by the shutdown. In order for this to work, though, Republicans will need to be disciplined on the damage done by Obamacare when George Soros’s astroturf protesters show up.”
Another Senate Republican strategist told the Reporter that “Republicans need to get out of D.C. immediately. Democrats are the party of D.C., not us. D.C. is a failed, rat-infested city. Get home and make the case, and return the second the Democrats’ cave on their outrageous demands to give criminal illegal aliens free healthcare.”
A source close to President Trump told the Reporter that “the best thing Republicans can do is get home to make the Democrats own this. Think how President Trump went around the liberal failed media during the 2024 campaign by doing events at diners and bodegas. Republicans should follow President Trump’s lead. Get out of D.C.”
Republicans, this is our chance to put the screws on the Democrats. Get out of D.C., get real with America, and watch the political bill come due for the Democrats.