NRSC Chairman: Democrats are rooting for a government shutdown

Moran pointed to Web ads run by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that criticize Republican Senate candidates who back a plan to fund the government but defund ObamaCare. The House is expected to vote on such legislation on Friday, but President Obama has said he would veto it. 

{mosads}”One would think that Democratic senators like Mark Pryor (Ark.) and Mark Begich (Alaska) and candidates like Alison Lundergan Grimes (Ky.) and Natalie Tennant (W.Va.) would avoid this kind of error and condemn gimmicky countdown clocks and campaigns that come dangerously close to celebrating a shutdown,” Moran said. “Key Democrats like Chuck Schumer, who expect to be taken seriously as legislators, should put an end to this embarrassing and poorly thought out mistake by their political arm.”

Many Democrats and Republicans alike think a government shutdown is one of the few things that could cause the 2014 elections to lead to a House takeover by the Democratic Party.

That’s one reason why a number of Republicans have pushed back against the defunding ObamaCare strategy, which they say could be used to blame Republicans over a shutdown.

Democrats fired back on Moran’s comments.

“Democrats have repeatedly warned of the devastating consequences a government shutdown would have for the country, and our Senators have worked diligently to prevent such an occurrence,” DSCC Executive Director Guy Cecil said in response. “Unfortunately, a stunning 23 Republican Senate candidates across the country are cheerleading a possible shutdown, and Senator Ted Cruz, the vice-chair of the NRSC, is leading the charge. Democrats will hold Republicans accountable for their reckless plan to shut down the government  and ignore the danger their actions pose to the country.”

This post was updated at 4:00 p.m.