HillFaith Highlights Survey Showing Most Hill Staffers View Democrats as Biggest Shutdown Losers

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HillFaith reports a new survey of congressional aides indicates that 48 percent believe Democrats on Capitol Hill suffered the most political damage from the recent record-breaking 43-day government shutdown. The findings were part of the latest CNCT Capitol Pulse survey, which polled aides from both parties on the political fallout of the historic impasse that began October 1.

The survey, which offers a rare glimpse into the private assessments of those working inside the legislative branch, presents a complex picture of how the shutdown's political consequences are viewed by staffers themselves. While 48 percent of respondents pointed to Democrats as suffering the most damage, 30 percent stated that Republicans were hit the hardest politically. An additional 22 percent of aides believed the damage was suffered equally by both major political parties, suggesting a significant portion of Capitol Hill staff saw the protracted battle as mutually detrimental.

The poll's detailed cross-tabs reveal perceptions that often diverge sharply along party lines, but also include surprising instances of self-critique.

Internal Democratic Assessment

Perhaps the most striking finding within the survey data is the segment of Democratic aides who view their own party as having lost the political battle. Among the 48 percent of all aides who said Democrats were the biggest loser, a remarkable 56 percent of respondents working for Senate Democrats concurred with that assessment. This indicates that a majority of Democratic aides in the upper chamber felt their party was more politically wounded by the shutdown than their Republican counterparts.

This sentiment was not shared as broadly among all Democratic women aides. Within that specific demographic, 33 percent—or one in three—agreed that Democrats suffered the most significant political harm.

Republican Staff Perspective

Not surprisingly, the belief that Democrats were hit hardest was the majority opinion among Republican aides. The survey data shows this view was held by a commanding 71 percent of GOP junior policy-making aides. That same figure, 71 percent, was mirrored among Republican women aides, demonstrating a strong consensus within those GOP demographics that their party had emerged from the 43-day standoff in a better political position.

Perceptions of GOP Damage

Conversely, the 30 percent of overall respondents who felt the GOP bore the brunt of the political damage was a view held predominantly by Democratic staff. A large majority of Senior Democrats, 71 percent, said the GOP received the worst end of the shutdown deal. This perspective was also held by 57 percent of Democratic men surveyed.

Further illustrating the partisan divide in perception, only 16 percent of all Republican respondents said their own party (the GOP) suffered more political damage than the Democrats.

Context of the Longest Shutdown

The CNCT Capitol Pulse survey provides critical, real-time insight from the individuals directly involved in the operations of Congress during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The 43-day closure, which began on October 1, impacted numerous federal agencies and furloughed or required hundreds of thousands of federal workers to work without pay. As the shutdown extended well beyond previous records, the political maneuvering and public messaging from both parties intensified daily. The extended impasse became a significant national news story, placing immense pressure on both congressional leadership and the White House to find a resolution.

About HillFaith HillFaith is a project of the 52-Week Ministry Foundation, a tax-exempt non-profit that shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with congressional aides, as well as individual mentoring, career advice, and advocacy on behalf of improved working conditions. Learn more about the organization on their website: https://www.hillfaith.org/

Contact Information:
Mark Tapscott
[email protected]
301-275-6645

SOURCE HillFaith