When Congress can’t reach a funding agreement, both sides of the political aisle whip up talking points about what a shutdown means for the economy, immigration, worker paychecks, disaster response and services for low-income families.

Virginia Democrats see opportunity in the shutdown as well. The party’s nominee for governor, Abigail Spanberger, has released ad after ad casting her opponent Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears as a MAGA Republican who “speaks for Trump” and supports his firing of federal workers and the Department of Government Efficiency.

President Donald Trump said his administration plans to use the government shutdown to permanently cut government programs popular with Democrats.