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As the federal government shutdown approaches the 40-day mark, a recent survey reveals a nation deeply divided over who is to blame for this prolonged closure, which has now become the longest in modern U.S. history.
The YouGov survey, published on Friday, indicates that 32% of those surveyed hold Democrats responsible, while 35% point fingers at Republicans, and 28% believe both parties share the blame equally.
Interestingly, the percentage of those blaming the Republicans has decreased by 4 points since YouGov’s last survey in mid-October, whereas the proportion assigning blame to both parties has seen a corresponding increase.
Over the last month, public approval of how each party is handling the shutdown has deteriorated. President Trump’s net approval has slipped from -21 to -27, and congressional Republicans have seen a decline from -23 to -27. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats’ approval ratings have remained relatively stable, shifting only slightly from -25 to -26, according to YouGov’s data.
The survey also highlights that more Democrats than Republicans report being personally affected by the ongoing shutdown.
Forty-seven percent of Democratic respondents said they have been affected “somewhat” or “a great deal,” compared to 25 percent of Republicans.
Still, President Trump said the GOP’s Tuesday election losses were partially impacted by the record-breaking shutdown, noting polls showing it “was a big factor, negative, for the Republicans.”
He also suggested his absence on the ballot was a factor. Lawmakers in Washington have been working through the weekend to push past the stalemate.
The president has encouraged GOP lawmakers in the Senate to do away with the filibuster to approve the House-authored continuing resolution with a simple majority. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), however, said the maneuver could backfire on Republicans when and if Democrats regain control of the upper chamber.
The YouGov poll was conducted among 1,623 U.S. adult citizens from an opt-in panel Oct. 24-27. The margin of error was approximately 3.5 percent.