Since government funding lapsed, the GOP has fallen in the polls and lost at the ballot box. But shutdown history shows the party can turn it around before the midterms.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history came to an end on Wednesday night, after six House Democrats joined Republicans to pass a funding package in a narrow 222-209 vote.

Illinois’ retiring senior senator also acknowledged backing a Republican-led measure ending the nation’s longest government shutdown could exacerbate divisions between Democratic Party

James Carville said Tuesday that Democrats lacked a real "endgame" strategy during the government shutdown and urged the party to move on during a conversation with Jim Acosta.

All six of the House Democrats who joined Republicans to approve a deal to end the government shutdown represent swing congressional districts.

Video Quality Speed 00:00 02:20 The shutdown is over: Will Congress still act to lower healthcare costs? President Donald Trump has always wanted to repeal the ACA, also known as Obamacare, but neither he nor the Republican party has offered a comprehensive alternative. They do have some ideas, though. (TNND) { }

The votes by a handful of Democratic senators this week to end a government shutdown without key concessions from Republicans have left the party bruised and divided, struggling to explain to a furious base why they folded without securing the health care subsidies they called essential.

Progressive Democrats criticized the party leadership after the government shutdown ended without healthcare guarantees, exposing a deep rift ahead of the midterm elections.