Angus King Votes to Advance Funding Bill to Reopen Government

The independent senator and former governor of Maine has broken the stalemate and become a key vote in reopening the government.

Senator Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, has emerged as a pivotal vote in the Senate’s negotiations.

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Senate Democrats broke ranks on Sunday to help advance a deal to reopen the federal government, a smaller group than the 10 who supported a similar GOP-led bill in March.

This time, the lawmakers who crossed party lines were a mixed group — including Maine’s independent senator — with some helping negotiate the agreement despite opposition from Chuck Schumer and most Democrats, who pushed for guaranteed extensions to federal health insurance subsidies.

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None of the lawmakers who broke from their parties on this test vote are up for reelection in 2026, giving them more political room to help move a deal forward.

King played a major role in negotiations, hosting meetings and emphasizing that the shutdown’s ongoing harm made it crucial to secure a path to voting on ACA tax credits once the government reopens.

These senators now plan to support a House-passed bill that would fund most of the government through January 30th.

Their votes helped move the process forward and bring an end to the historic 41-day shutdown, as of November 10th.

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And there you have it! On Sunday night, Senator Angus King joined seven Democrats in a test vote to advance a funding bill and continue the process of eventually reopening the government.

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