Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks during a news conference with Republican Congressional leadership outside the US Capitol on October 1, 2025, the first day of the government shutdown. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Senate Republicans and top GOP donors still plan to attend a major fundraiser at a coastal resort in Georgia this weekend despite the government shutdown , a move that puts an awkward spotlight on the underbelly of political campaigns as federal workers are being furloughed across the country.

With Congress at a stalemate over funding the government, lawmakers recognize the uncomfortable optics of rubbing elbows with well-heeled donors eager to get access to the nation’s key decision makers.

But some GOP and Democratic events are on — for now.

The National

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