Can the GOP’s Messaging Offensive Force an End to Shutdown?

More than two weeks into the federal government shutdown, Republicans are intent on hammering their message home to pressure Democrats into voting to end the impasse.

The chairman of the House Republican Conference, Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., a member of Republican leadership tasked with coordinating the team’s messaging, has been appearing alongside top Republicans almost every single day of the shutdown, blasting Democrats for voting against a stopgap spending continuing resolution.

McClain told The Daily Signal on a press call Wednesday that she hopes that bombarding Democrats in these press conferences can create some movement in the shutdown standoff.

“We have the facts. We don’t talk in hyperboles. We talk about the actual facts of the matter. And I think we have faith in the American people, that if we are transparent with the American people, if we tell the American people the truth and not just headlines, that the American people will understand why this is happening, or why the government is not opening,” McClain said. 

Democrats “are putting $1.5 trillion and taking it back into the budget,” she said. “I think if the American people understand the truth, they will put pressure on their Democratic senators to stop putting [illegal immigrants] over them and actually open up the government. So, that’s the goal with the press conferences.”

Throughout the shutdown, Democrats have put the focus on health care, demanding the extension of boosted COVID-era premium tax credits and the repeal of all of the cost-saving health care provisions in the July budget reconciliation bill.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told the press shortly before the shutdown began, Democrats are “making this debate a debate on health care.”

McClain was joined on the press call by members of the House Freedom Caucus, a fiscally conservative faction of House Republicans. Many of them said they welcome Democrats making the shutdown a debate about health care.

“I am delighted with the Democrats trying to put the focus on Obamacare, the COVID-era temporary subsidies … . Remember, Prohibition was the law of the land for 13 years, and then it was repealed. And I got to tell you, now Obamacare is older than Prohibition was. It’s time to take a good, hard, serious look at it,” said Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas., was similarly dismissive of Democrats’ messaging.

“Radical Democrats are totally fine shutting the government down. Why? So they can enrich insurance companies and give health care to illegal aliens,” Roy said. “I look forward to them putting that out on the campaign trail.”

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)

Some Republicans think the tide is turning, citing polls showing Americans increasingly blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

“The polling is breaking our way,” Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., said. “Recent polls that were posted by The Hill and Politico all indicate that the American people are starting to see this for what it really is, and that the Democrats are the ones owning this shutdown.”

A new poll from YouGov/The Economist shows that Americans are increasingly blaming Democrats for the shutdown, with 33% now blaming Democrats in Congress—up from 30% last week. A higher percentage, 39%, blame Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown, down from 41% last week. Historically, the party that controls the White House tends to take the blame for shutdowns among the general public.

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