The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote at 5:30 PM UTC today, October 20th, 2025, on a House-passed short-term funding bill, marking the 20th day of the federal government shutdown. This vote is the eleventh on the bill, and it is expected to fail again, requiring 60 votes to advance, with only Republicans and a few Democrats and Senator King-I anticipated to support it, according to reporting from C-SPAN. Amidst the ongoing shutdown, divisions within the Trump administration regarding Ukraine policy have surfaced. Reports indicate an internal clash between "Witkoff and Rubio" factions over concessions and arms policy, with former President Trump reportedly pressing for a partition of Ukraine. This comes as Politico's Playbook podcast discusses developments from a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. In Georgia, Democrats rallied against former President Trump at Atlanta's No Kings' protest, where Stacey Abrams criticized RFK Jr. as "a snake oil salesman" and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Meanwhile, Assemblymember Alex Bores has launched a congressional campaign for New York's 12th district, aiming to succeed Jerry Nadler and protect democracy, according to a campaign announcement. Conservative groups, including those associated with Charles Koch, are laying out demands for concessions from Democrats in exchange for extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. These demands are reportedly hardening the Republican stance in the shutdown negotiations. In New Jersey, a poll from the Ciattarelli PAC, analyzed by Kellyanne Conway's firm, shows Sherrill narrowly leading in a gubernatorial race. Separately, Run For Something is proposing a five-year, $50 million plan to expand the Democratic footprint in a dozen states, excluding Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. In Georgia, former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan is embarking on a gubernatorial run as a Democrat, assembling a campaign team and donors, though trust remains a significant challenge, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Associated Press (AP) has a strong track record for accurate race calling, having achieved a 99.9% accuracy rate in nearly 7,000 races in 2024, according to Axios. This context is relevant to the ongoing political maneuvering and election-related discussions.
