Congressional Democrats may just surrender rather than risk catching blame for shutting down a government that Republicans are gutting.

MSNBC analyst and former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday that if there is a government shutdown, Democrats could be the party at fault.

House Democratic leaders are urging their members to oppose the stopgap spending bill Republicans plan to bring to the floor on Tuesday, according to aides and lawmakers. This raises the likelihood that the government could shut down on March 14.

Progressive and moderate Democrats criticized a protest by Representative Al Green as a distraction, and the party leadership tried to refocus attention on economic issues.

Democrats are seeking cohesion in their opposition to President Donald Trump and a message that resonates with voters.

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who delivered the Democratic response to President Trump’s joint address, says Democrats are still “finding our footing” as the party in opposition.