A handful of Democrats and one Independent reached a key, tentative deal with Republicans to potentially end the historic government shutdown. As lawmakers face mounting pressure from airlines, Americans are hopeful that the agreement will end the pause and finally reopen the government.
As multiple figures from the left speak out against their colleagues for temporarily siding with the GOP, many are curious who the eight politicians are.
Below, find out which Democrats reached an agreement with the GOP to potentially end the government shutdown.
Did the Government Reopen Yet?
No, the government is still shut down as of November 10, 2025. The pause began on October 1, making this the longest shutdown in American history.
Although a handful of Democrats chose to side with Republicans temporarily, there’s still no definitive end in sight for the shutdown. If a new proposal is approved in the Senate, it will be passed down to the House for review.
The 8 Democrats Who Voted to Potentially Open the Government
It turns out that it was actually seven Democrats who sided with Republicans on November 9, and one Independent. The eight politicians are John Fetterman from Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto from Nevada, Jacky Rosen from Nevada, Dick Durbin from Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire, Tim Kaine from Virginia and Angus King from Maine, who is the Independent in the group.
Kaine spoke to reporters from Capitol Hill that evening when the Senate adjourned. He explained how he and a few of his colleagues reached an agreement with the GOP.
Tonight was a very bad night. pic.twitter.com/t2rM48XEyV
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) November 10, 2025
“I have long said that to earn my vote, we need to be on a path toward fixing Republicans’ health care mess and to protect the federal workforce,” Kaine said, according to The Hill. “This legislation will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay, as required by a law I got passed in 2019. That’s a critical step that will help federal employees and all Americans who rely on government services.”
When Will the House Vote on the Shutdown?
According to multiple outlets, House members were told that votes on government funding are expected to take place this week. As long as the Senate passes the new deal, the House could vote on the funding sometime this week.
