Greene warns GOP that shutdown strategy will hurt midterm elections
Rep. Greene warns shutdown hurts Republicans in 2026
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly warned in early Oct. 2025 that a continuing shutdown would hurt Republicans in the 2026 midterms.
Key People
3
Marjorie Taylor Greene
U.S. Representative
Publicly broke with GOP leaders in early Oct. 2025 to urge action to prevent ACA subsidy expirations that could raise premiums
John Thune
Senator, Senate Majority Leader
Led GOP positions in the Senate and presided during multiple failed procedural votes on stopgap funding in early Oct. 2025
Rand Paul
U.S. Senator (R-Ky.)
Voted 'no' on the GOP clean funding motion in several roll calls, at times breaking with most Senate Republicans
Claims & Perspectives
True
True
On Oct. 9, 2025, the Senate failed to advance the GOP 'clean' short-term funding bill for the seventh time by a 54-45 vote.
The Senate procedural vote on Oct. 9, 2025, on the GOP clean stopgap lost 54-45. [1] News coverage that day described it as the seventh time that GOP motion failed. [2] The reporting also tied the repeated failures to the broader shutdown impasse that week. [3]
True
On Oct. 7, 2025, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she was 'absolutely disgusted' that expiring ACA tax credits could double premiums and urged action to prevent that result.
Greene's Oct. 7 comments warned that enhanced ACA credits could expire and sharply raise costs. [1] Multiple outlets quoted her saying she was 'absolutely disgusted' by the prospect. [2] She urged Republicans to act to prevent premium spikes. [3]
False
False
Greene endorsed the Affordable Care Act and publicly backed a permanent expansion of ACA subsidies.
Greene urged action to prevent subsidies from lapsing, but she did not endorse the ACA as a permanent policy. [1] Reporting shows she opposed the law in principle while seeking to stop immediate premium pain. [2] Outlets framed her stance as targeted relief, not broad ACA support. [3]
False
Sen. Rand Paul voted 'no' on every GOP funding motion between Oct. 1 and Oct. 16, 2025.
Coverage shows Sen. Rand Paul voted against several GOP motions, but the assertion that he opposed every single GOP motion across Oct. 1–16 is an overbroad claim. [1] Reports identify him as a frequent dissenter on specific roll calls. [2] They do not document an unbroken record for that full period. [3]
Disputed
Disputed
Speaker Mike Johnson's strategy to keep the House out of session is intended to force a Senate response and shield House Republicans from blame.
Politico reports Johnson kept the House out to increase pressure on the Senate. [1] Other GOP members and operatives warn the tactic risks political backlash. [2] Analysts disagree on whether the approach protects or damages GOP standing for 2026. [3]
Disputed
If enhanced ACA subsidies lapse, some marketplace enrollees could see premiums roughly double for 2026 in certain states.
Analysts and state filings show average marketplace premiums rising sharply for 2026 and examples where costs roughly double for some incomes. [1] Other analyses show the exact change varies by state and income, so 'doubling' is accurate for many but not universal. [2] The disagreement is technical and depends on local rate filings and subsidy formulas. [3]
What you can do
Contact your senators to request they support a short-term funding measure that preserves ACA subsidies
civic action
Ask both senators to vote for a stopgap that extends enhanced ACA tax credits until Congress can act on a longer-term fix.
Track open-enrollment changes for 2026 premiums
learning more
Watch and state marketplace updates starting Nov. 1, 2025, to see concrete premium impacts if federal subsidies lapse.