It's rare for President Trump and Democrats to agree, but both say the longest-ever government shutdown contributed to a dismal showing for Republicans in Tuesday's off-year election.

"I think if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor, negative for the Republicans," Trump said at a breakfast with Republican senators Wednesday. "And they say that I wasn't on the ballot was the biggest factor, but I don't know about that."

Democrats won in races up and down the ballot and across the country with a message focused on affordability and opposing Trump administration policies – including the yearlong push to fire federal workers, slash spending and punish people who oppose the president.

Congressional leaders have so far failed to negotiate or move with urgency to end the sh

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