Democrats are deliberately stalling votes to reopen the government because they fear political backlash from progressive activists organizing a nationwide "No Kings" protest.
The rally is set for Oct. 18, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Newsmax on Wednesday.
"The problem that you have ... is you have Marxists and jihadists running the Democrat Party today," Mullin told "Carl Higbie FRONTLINE."
"This is not the Democrat Party of JFK anymore. This is extremist."
Mullin accused Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of caving to pressure from the party's far-left flank and said Democrats are blocking a clean continuing resolution for political reasons — not policy ones.
"This CR that we're asking them to vote for is the same CR — same language, same numbers — that they voted for a year ago when [President] Joe Biden was in office," Mullin said.
"What's changed is, in March the party got taken over by this Marxist and jihadist group."
The comments came after Senate Democrats on Wednesday again rejected a House-passed stopgap funding bill that would have extended government operations through Nov. 15 while maintaining current spending levels.
The shutdown entered its eighth day as both sides blamed each other for the stalemate.
Mullin said some Democrats have privately indicated they want to vote to reopen the government but fear backlash from the "No Kings" movement, an anti-President Donald Trump coalition planning rallies across the country.
"They're afraid that if they come out and vote for it before that, they would be chastised and cause themselves a lot of problems," Mullin said.
"It has nothing to do with the American people."
He added that Schumer "could end this immediately" by allowing his members to vote freely.
"There's plenty of Democrats that actually want to reopen the government," Mullin said.
"They just need permission."
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