The gloves came off at a Wednesday night NewsNation town hall at the Kennedy Center as Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California publicly sparred over who is to blame for the prolonged government shutdown.
While Khanna pinned the blame on Republicans, who control the presidency and both chambers of Congress, Jordan swiftly countered with a Senate reality check: the filibuster.
The California Democrat opened fire, arguing it was “unbelievable” for anyone to believe the Democratic minority could be running—or shutting down—Washington.
“You got Donald Trump, you got the Republicans in the Senate,” Khanna stated. “Does anyone believe that the Democrats are actually, like, running things?” He even blasted Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as “too ineffective” to be orchestrating a shutdown.
READ: Swastikas Found On American Flags Distributed To Multiple Republican Congressional Offices
Jordan, however, brought the debate back to the legislative rulebook, reminding his colleague that in the Senate, a simple majority is not enough.
“To get something passed in the Senate, you need 60 votes,” Jordan said. “The first guest on Chris’s show (Fetterman) is one of those Democrats who voted with Republicans. But they need five more. You’ve got to understand basic civics, how Congress works.”
He used the recent failed funding bills—which both fell short of the supermajority needed—as proof. The GOP’s “clean” funding bill failed 55-45, and the Democratic proposal, which included additional spending, also couldn’t clear the procedural hurdle.
The Ohio Republican pointed out that this Senate rule—a tool Democrats have historically utilized—allows the minority party to effectively block legislation, regardless of which party holds the majority.
Khanna, who has been in Congress since 2017, did not offer a direct reply to Jordan’s procedural point on the filibuster, leaving the constitutional civics lesson hanging over the debate. It’s unclear how the California congressman was unaware of the vote threshold.
As the government shutdown drags into its second week, the heated exchange shines light on the bitter partisan impasse. Both parties continue to trade accusations, but Jordan’s comments served as a stark reminder that even with unified control, the Senate’s entrenched rules give the minority a powerful veto over the nation’s funding. As of Wednesday night, no new vote has been scheduled to end the standoff.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
