'Go hide underground': Left furious as Dem-voting senator says shutdown 'didn’t work'

U.S. Senator Angus King of Maine, an independent who votes with Democrats, was one of eight senators who crossed the aisle late Sunday night to vote to advance legislation to reopen the federal government, with no guarantees Obamacare subsidy funding would be restored.

There is a brewing “widespread backlash” against those on the left who voted to end the shutdown, just days after massive Democratic Election Day wins many believe sent a strong message to Republicans and President Trump.

Now, some of the eight, including Senator King, have opted to head to Fox News to defend their votes.

King said the goals of the shutdown were “standing up to Donald Trump” and “some resolution on the ACA premium tax credit issue.”

“The problem was the shutdown wasn’t accomplishing either goals, and there was practically, well, it was zero likelihood that it was going to,” King told Fox News on Monday.

“In terms of standing up to Donald Trump, the shutdown actually gave him more power,” he said.

Media Matters’ Matthew Gertz remarked, “Bold choice going with a strategy of ‘we are losers.'”

“The people who cut this ‘deal’ should really just go hide underground for a week because their messaging is so awful that it is only making things worse for them,” The Bulwark’s Tim Miller wrote. “You won! Say you won! Or shut up.”

Journalist and author Diana B. Henriques commented, “This is tone-deaf, defeatist, and nonsensical given the top-to-bottom Dem victory on Tuesday.”

The Bulwark’s Joe Perticone added, “Usually when you cave, you’re supposed to go on TV and spin it as actually a win/compromise. You’re not supposed to go on and say ‘I caved.'”

The Nation’s Jeet Heer observed, “i don’t know how you can have a democracy without an opposition party.”