We have exclusive breaking developments from Capitol Hill, where Democratic leaders are openly airing frustrations with one another as Congress barrels toward a consequential government funding vote.
I’m already pushing for interviews with lawmakers across Capitol Hill, including the senators who broke ranks to support this bill, because they owe voters real answers and I intend to ask the questions you’ve been demanding. Today’s conversation with Leader Jeffries was his first reaction to the bill’s passage, and it shows exactly the kind of direct, high-stakes reporting I want to keep delivering. These exclusives are only possible with your support, so subscribe today and help ensure the people in power keep answering to you.
In a conversation with me earlier today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries sharply criticized the eight Senate Democrats who broke ranks and joined Republicans to advance the latest government funding measure. Jeffries said he was “confused” by their decision and suggested that responsibility for the deal rests heavily with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who played a central role in crafting the bipartisan agreement.
Jeffries’ comments, rare in their bluntness, underscore a rift between House Democrats and the small group of Senate Democrats who supported the bill. The tension comes at a moment when Democratic unity is being tested publicly and repeatedly, especially as grassroots frustration mounts over the party’s strategy on core economic issues.
Johnson to Swear In Grijalva Before Funding Vote
Adding another twist, Punchbowl News reports that Speaker Mike Johnson plans to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva ahead of the funding vote. Her arrival will not affect the outcome on the funding bill itself, but it will push the Epstein discharge petition past the critical 218-signature threshold. That petition would force a vote on separate legislation that Democratic leaders have been quietly shepherding.
The timing is notable. Johnson’s decision to proceed with the swearing-in before the vote appears strategic, even as his leadership has faced escalating criticism from Democrats and some conservatives alike.
Jeffries Backs Schumer, But Fault Lines Deepen
Despite his ire toward the eight Democratic senators, Jeffries clarified in our interview that he still supports Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer remaining in his position. Even so, the public break with members of Schumer’s caucus is striking. House Democrats have made clear they feel blindsided by the Senate defections, particularly given the lack of movement on high-priority domestic provisions.
Voters’ frustration is also boiling over, with many Democrats angry that Johnson once again declined to commit to holding a vote on extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Those credits are widely viewed by Democratic strategists as both a policy anchor and a political lifeline heading into an election year.
A Growing Intraparty Rift
For now, the immediate legislative math hasn’t changed. But the political terrain certainly has. The eight Democrats who sided with Republicans in the Senate are now facing pressure not only from the Democratic base but from their own party leadership in the House.
The episode highlights a deeper anxiety within the Democratic coalition: concerns that the party’s message on economic relief and health care remains vulnerable, especially when leadership divisions become visible.
With the funding vote imminent and tempers high, Democrats appear headed into another round of internal debate over strategy, priorities, and the path forward. Whether this flare-up becomes a brief family argument or a lasting schism may depend on what happens in the next few days on the House floor.
