While the federal government shutdown is over, a Univ. of Delaware political science professor warns more conflict is likely ahead.
David Redlawsk is a political psychologist who studies voter behavior and the Chair of UD’s Department of Political Science and International Relations. He says that while government assistance for food has been funded through next September, that’s not the case for most federal programs. That sets Congress up for another brawl in just a few months.
“The fight over food aid is over for this budget year, but the fight over many other things is not over," he says. "In the end, only about 10% of the government was actually funded through the rest of the year. Everything else was just funded through January 30th.”
While SNAP benefits are resolved for the next ten months or so, subsidies for the Affordable Care Act aren’t. Democrats seeking to extend the subsidies face a tough path with GOP control of Congress and White House. Redlawsk says that leaves little Democratic states, like Delaware, can do.
“There's no reason states couldn't provide subsidies. I think from a budgetary standpoint, it would be extraordinarily difficult to do," he says.
Redlawsk says he expects health care subsidies to be a major campaign issue for Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections.
“Health care subsidies weren't funded at all. And so as a consequence, as people are looking at ACA plans for next year, they're seeing massive increases in the rates," Redlawsk says.
Reports from NPR and other sources say premiums for ACA plans are increasing by 100% or more in some cases. Delaware’s Insurance Commissioner, Trinidad Navarro, warns that skyrocketing premium costs will lead to fewer people being insured and rising costs for all.
Both of Delaware’s Senators voted against the measure to reopen the government last week.
