U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis doesn’t expect the federal shutdown[1] to end until off-year elections take place Nov. 4, and the Panama City Republican is blaming Democratic politics.
“It’s kind of gross that that’s the motivation, but it is what it is,” Patronis said.
While there aren’t regular federal elections this year, the first Tuesday in November is when voters in Virginia[2], New Jersey[3] and New York[4] will decide nationally watched elections. Patronis said that due to hatred of President Donald Trump, too many Democratic voters now frown at any bipartisan effort to reopen the government.
“If those Democrats reach across the aisle and work with Republicans, their hardcore base gets upset and their intensity could get blunted,” Patronis said. “And if their intensity slows down, then they may not show up. And that could trigger half a point to maybe several percentage points, change the outcomes of these races in New Jersey and Virginia.”
In both of those states, Democrats who served in Congress are running for open gubernatorial seats.
A recent Christopher Newport University poll[5] shows Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former U.S. Representative, leading Republican Winsome Earle-Sears by 7 percentage points in Virginia. Meanwhile, Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a sitting member of Congress, has just a 1-point lead on Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the race for New Jersey Governor, according to a new co/efficient poll[6].
And in New York, the home state for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a high-profile mayoral election is playing out between Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa that polls show may become close[7].
Patronis suggested that last race could be creating some angst for Schumer. The Congressman, like many House Republicans, stressed that the GOP-controlled House has already passed a budget resolution to keep the government open. But Patronis said Senate Democrats led by Schumer have used rules requiring 60 votes for a measure to pass to hold up negotiations.
“Chuck Schumer worked with Republicans back in March and brought a handful of Democrats over to run a clean (continuing resolution) then, and he got eviscerated by his base,” Patronis said. “They were so disgusted, because there’s those out there that have Trump Derangement Syndrome, and any cooperation with him is like betrayal.”
But he said Schumer might face a Democratic Primary challenge from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York City Democrat loved by the party base, just as New York City prepared to elect a far-left leader in Mamdani.
“Chuck Schumer, who has had a historic ability to be part of the get-along gang, he’s vulnerable,” Patronis said. “Now Schumer’s going to have to figure out some way to get a ‘W’ out of this where he can wag his finger at his base, showing that I accomplished this for you, so he’s just not totally thrown on the trash heap.”
References
- ^ federal shutdown (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Virginia (southeastpolitics.com)
- ^ New Jersey (apnews.com)
- ^ New York (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ poll (virginiamercury.com)
- ^ co/efficient poll (www.fox29.com)
- ^ may become close (www.cbsnews.com)