Sen. Ted Cruz has accused Democrats of deliberately extending the ongoing government shutdown for political gain in the lead-up to Election Day, while predicting that the standoff could end by the end of the week.
Now in its 35th day, the shutdown — tied for the longest in U.S. history — has disrupted travel across the nation and caused millions of Americans to experience reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Senate Democrats have maintained their stance against Republican-backed proposals that don’t include extensions to federal healthcare subsidies. But Cruz argued that politics, not policy, is driving their resistance.
“They will say later today, ‘keep the government shut.’ Why? Because it’s Election Day, and they want to turn out their radicals,” Cruz said Tuesday on Fox & Friends. “If they actually allow the government to open up, they’re afraid their radicals will stay home.”
Cruz added that he expects Democrats to relent once the votes are counted. “My hope is they lose those elections anyway, and then they come back Wednesday or Thursday or Friday and say, ‘all right, enough is enough, let’s reopen the government.’”
Voters are casting ballots in several high-profile races, including the New York City mayoral race and gubernatorial contests in Virginia and New Jersey.
“They want to demonstrate to their radical left-wing base that they hate Donald Trump as much as the radicals do,” Cruz said of Senate Democrats. “This is all about saving Schumer’s political behind and trying to ward off a primary from AOC. But this shutdown will end.”
Democrats have so far blocked more than a dozen Republican efforts to reopen the government, insisting that any deal must include an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are scheduled to expire in 2025.
Despite the impasse, Cruz said he believes a resolution is near. “My prediction, it will end either the end of this week or early next week. It will not end today,” he said. “We’re going to vote later today. Republicans will all vote for the 14th time to reopen the government. I’m predicting right now the Democrats will vote no.”
