Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) told his fellow Democrats to “win elections” if they want policy changes, breaking from his party to suggest he would back legislation to fund the government without special conditions and warning he won’t support a shutdown fight.

“I refuse to shut our government down, and that’s not going to change,” Fetterman said, warning that a lapse in funding would “plunge our nation into chaos” and leave “millions and millions of lives upended.” While he said he “would absolutely like” to extend added Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire, he insisted those fights should be settled at the ballot box, not through brinkmanship.

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Fetterman broke ranks earlier this month by siding with Senate Republicans on a House-passed measure that would extend government funding through Nov. 21. He was the lone Democrat to support it, while Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Rand Paul (R-KY) joined Democrats in opposition. With those defections, Republicans would still need at least eight more Democrats to reach the 60 votes required for passage.

“I think it’s always wrong to shut the government down,” Fetterman said, adding that while he supports preserving enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, he is not willing to threaten a government shutdown to force negotiations. “What’s our leverage here? What’s our leverage?” he asked, speaking to reporters.

Fetterman’s blunt “win elections” advice is in keeping with his reputation for breaking with his party. The Pennsylvania Democrat has repeatedly charted his own course, ridiculing colleagues over the Senate dress code, embracing tougher border security proposals, and standing firmly with Israel even as many liberals pressed for a Gaza ceasefire.

CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS LEAVE WHITE HOUSE WITH NO DEAL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN: ‘STILL LARGE DIFFERENCES’

Fetterman’s comments come as top congressional leaders left a high-stakes Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump no closer to a deal, with the funding deadline now just over 24 hours away. 

After the meeting, both sides traded blame. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Democrats put forward several ideas but emphasized that Trump is “ultimately the decision-maker,” warning that differences remain on issues such as healthcare and spending cuts. 

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) echoed that Democrats are “deadly serious” about their healthcare demands and won’t back a partisan bill. Republicans countered by accusing Democrats of “hijacking” the process, with Vice President JD Vance calling the dispute “very simple.”