Spanberger says ‘absolutely not’ to using election wins to justify government shutdown stance

Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger did not mince words when asked if Democrats in Congress should see her election — and the success of other Democrats last Tuesday — as permission to continue the government shutdown. 

“Absolutely not,” Spanberger said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” Sunday. “Our victory was based on a campaign addressing concerns related to costs and chaos. My campaign across the past two years has been based on hearing the challenges that people are facing all across Virginia.”

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“It’s the chaos coming out of Washington that has been impacting Virginians so severely,” she added.

Virginia is home to over 147,000 government workers, many of whom have been unpaid since the government shutdown began. That’s the third-highest concentration of government workers in any state, according to records by the Library of Congress.

Spanberger stormed to victory last week alongside fellow Democrats in New Jersey, New York City and a Democrat-led ballot measure in California. In the wake of election night, some onlookers suggested the results reflected public unrest over the government shutdown — and a tacit endorsement of the Democratic position in the gridlock. 

Even President Donald Trump suggested that Republicans had underperformed because of the shutdown.

“Last night was not expected to be a victory,” Trump said the morning after the election. “Very Democrat areas. I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I don’t think it was good for anybody. We had an interesting evening. The shutdown was a big factor — negative for the Republicans.” 

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Republicans and Democrats remain at odds over how to fund the government as a shutdown that began on Oct. 1 enters its 40th day. Republicans have advanced a short-term spending bill that would keep the lights on through Nov. 21, but Democrats have blocked those efforts 14 times. 

Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have demanded Congress first address expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies before considering spending legislation.

Spanberger disagreed with that approach, stating that lawmakers should focus their attention on opening the government above healthcare concerns. 

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“Virginians want to see the government open. My expectation is that we will see a Congress, a Senate and ultimately a president driving us in that direction,” Spanberger said. “The government needs to open, and it needs to open immediately.” 

She called on the president to facilitate spending negotiations.

“We need the president to demonstrate leadership, bringing people together, endeavoring to get through whatever negotiations need to get through whether it’s before or after,” Spanberger said.

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The Senate remains in session over the weekend as lawmakers look to break the gridlock. It is unclear if the Senate will vote for a 15th time on Sunday on a new short-term funding extension proposal.