Dems push for $15 from supporters in fundraiser, pin shutdown on Trump and GOP

Democrats including Hakeem Jeffries and Steven Horsford sent fundraising appeals blaming Republicans and Trump after voting against a bipartisan bill
PUBLISHED OCT 3, 2025
Democrats sent fundraising emails while blaming Donald Trump and Republicans for the government shutdown (Getty Images)
Democrats sent fundraising emails while blaming Donald Trump and Republicans for the government shutdown (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Leading Democrats began fundraising off the government shutdown, blaming Republicans and President Donald Trump despite having voted against a bipartisan extension to keep government operations running.

On Wednesday, October 1, Senate Democrats triggered a shutdown after rejecting a clean, bipartisan funding measure.

Democrats sent fundraising emails with donation links attached since shutdown

Democratic lawmakers and top spending groups sent fundraising emails with donation links attached as soon as the shutdown began, even though the lapse jeopardized service member pay, disaster relief funds, and healthcare access.

House Majority PAC, a key Democratic outside spending group, sent a fundraising email on Wednesday featuring Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. It read,"Republicans’ shutdown continues, and Barack and Michelle Obama speak up!” The email added, “One of the most powerful and respected Democratic couples in history have stood up and called on every American to act before it’s too late!"

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 16: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) walk to speak to reporters after meeting with President Joe Biden and fellow congressional leaders at the White House on May 16, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Democratic and Republican leaders were meeting to strike a deal on raising the debt limit and avoid a default by the federal government. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Charles Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries walked to speak to reporters after a White House meeting with Joe Biden in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The message continued, “That’s why House Majority PAC is uniting a historic wave of support to show Trump and Republicans that Democrats will make their shutdown backfire!” It also advertised a “600% match” on every donation.

QUANTICO, VIRGINIA - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia. In an unprecedented gathering, almost 800 generals, admirals and their senior enlisted leaders have been ordered into one location from around the world on short notice. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Donald Trump spoke to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sent his own fundraising email the same day, condemning Trump for posting a morphed video of him wearing a sombrero. “He just posted a racist and bigoted attack against me in a desperate attempt to distract from the Republican shutdown,” Jeffries wrote. “When extremists fan the flames of hostility, you better believe I’ll respond.”

He asked supporters, “Will you rush $15 before midnight to hand Donald Trump and his MAGA allies a stunning rebuke?” Jeffries declined to say whether he would withhold his own paycheck during the shutdown.

Vulnerable House Democrats blasted out fundraising missives during shutdown

Several vulnerable House Democrats facing competitive GOP challengers also blasted out fundraising appeals.

Representative Steven Horsford of Nevada sent an email Wednesday blaming Republicans for the shutdown, despite voting against the spending bill himself. “Together, we can hold Republicans accountable and demand a government that works for the people,” Horsford wrote.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia. In an unprecedented gathering, almost 800 generals, admirals and their senior enlisted leaders have been ordered into one location from around the world on short notice. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Donald Trump addressed senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio also emailed donors, saying she and her colleagues “have been in Washington all week, doing our job: working to keep our government open and fighting to protect affordable healthcare for families in Northwest Ohio and across the country,” while accusing Republicans of having “literally walked out.”

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned the chamber after nearly all Democrats, including Kaptur, opposed a bipartisan spending bill on September 19. 

U.S. Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks following a meeting with Congressional Democrats and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on September 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. Congressional leaders met with President Trump to negotiate funding legislation to avoid a government shutdown. Vance was accompanied by (L-R) Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
JD Vance delivered remarks after meeting with Congressional Democrats and Donald Trump at the White House on September 29, 2025 in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Democratic candidates for 2026 also joined in. New Hampshire House candidate Stefany Shaheen wrote in a fundraising email, “Today, Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress have shut down the federal government, and we will all pay the price."

MORE STORIES

TIME owner green-lights flattering Trump cover after backlash from previous cover picture
30 minutes ago
White House officials pushed back against reports that Trump would attach his name to the new ballroom
1 hour ago
Cheryl Hines admitted she had been skeptical about Donald Trump, largely influenced by her Hollywood peers who disliked him
1 hour ago
CNN’s Brianna Keilar also pressed Karine Jean-Pierre on whether she thinks Joe Biden is currently fit to serve as president
1 hour ago
Jonathan Karl’s new book reveals Biden ignored Obama’s calls for weeks before and after dropping out of the 2024 race
2 hours ago
Earlier in October, Melania Trump announced her involvement in diplomatic efforts to reunite children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war
3 hours ago
Rober De Niro criticized the Trump administration as a whole and claimed President Donald Trump would attempt to secure a third term
18 hours ago
Scott Presler said that if Republicans don’t vote in the November elections, they’ll be giving away power to those who celebrated Charlie Kirk’s death
18 hours ago
The White House East Wing is undergoing construction to be converted into a State Ballroom, a project launched by President Donald Trump
19 hours ago
According to several people, the DNC reached out to major donors earlier this year through the San Francisco-based fundraiser, but most declined
19 hours ago