'We lose that argument': GOP cracks begin to show as shutdown looms [View all]

Source: Raw Story

September 29, 2025 3:04PM ET


Republicans are starting to falter on the hardline stance about the government shutdown, according to a House GOP conference call on Monday. While Republicans hold the majority in the House, Senate and White House, they don't have enough votes to pass an increase in the debt ceiling. It means they'll need support from Democrats. However, Democrats don't want to help Republicans raise the debt ceiling unless they bring back the healthcare subsidies for those utilizing the Affordable Care Act.

NBC News Capitol Hill reporter Melanie Zanona wrote on X that Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) "walked members through polling and advised them not to make the message about healthcare, because Republicans lose that argument." She encouraged them to discuss the economics of a shutdown, thinking that the GOP has the upper hand and a winning message on that topic.

However, Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) confessed she thinks staying out of Washington isn't the right move. She wants to see them return to Congress sooner than next week so they "can better message and hammer Democrats on the airwaves," added Zanona.

Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson noted that McClain is correct, noting the group Unring Our Economy has ads running "in 14 Republican districts about MAGA's health care shutdown. They are threatening a gov't shutdown unless they can take away health care. After already cutting Medicaid and raising tariffs."

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/republicans-shutdown/