After setting a record for the longest government shutdown in American history, Democrats are walking away with nothing to show for it, and the party's base is furious.

The humiliating defeat has brought furious backlash against Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is facing calls to resign after eight Democrats ignored his marching orders and voted to open the government.

The shutdown's end comes as a demoralizing reversal for many Democrats, who were feeling emboldened to hold out for concessions after their wins in last week's elections.

Schumer's leadership questioned

Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) is leading calls in the House for Schumer to step aside, calling the veteran lawmaker ineffective after he failed to keep his caucus under control.

“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna wrote on X.

While falling short of calling for Schumer to resign, Gavin Newsom (D-CA), a likely White House candidate in 2028, also fanned the outrage coursing through his party's base.

"Tonight’s Senate vote on the federal government shutdown should have been a time for strength. Instead we saw capitulation and a betrayal of working Americans. The American people need more from their leaders," Newsom wrote.

Dems humiliated by outcome

Leftists are saying Schumer let down Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollees who are facing surging costs without an extension to the enhanced premium tax credits.

For over a month, Democrats rejected 14 separate attempts by Republicans to open the government with a clean bill. Republicans said they were willing to negotiate ACA subsidies after the shutdown, but Dems insisted on tethering the issues together.

The deal that eight Democrats negotiated with the Republicans calls for a vote on the tax credits - but there is no guarantee of passage.

Dam finally breaks

Republicans had consistently received only three votes from Democrats to end the shutdown before the dam finally broke on Sunday night.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), joined John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Angus King (I-ME), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, giving Republicans the 60 votes they needed to bypass the filibuster and move forward.

The impacts of the shutdown had become very real in recent days, as government workers and SNAP recipients - both Democratic constituencies - started to go without pay or public assistance.

The Democrats backing the compromise point to the fact that 4,000 federal workers will receive their jobs back, and furloughed employees will get back pay.

My statement on the funding deal to reopen government, protect federal employees, and vote to protect health care pic.twitter.com/1ITfj3mLoq

— Senator Tim Kaine (@SenTimKaine) November 10, 2025