WASHINGTON - A partial government shutdown was avoided Friday after the U.S. Senate approved a bill to keep the government funded through the end of September. Senators sent the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk for approval in a 54-46 vote.

The U.S. Senate on Friday looked set to advance a bill that would prevent a partial government shutdown, after a sufficient number of minority Democrats joined with the majority Republicans in support.

Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada were among the first Democrats to publicly back the Republican funding bill, arguing that a shutdown would only strengthen Trump’s hand. They were joined by six more Democrats—Dick Durbin of Illinois,

Democrats’ blowup over funding the government isn’t just triggering a fight about the future of the party. It is reopening old wounds they had hoped to move past, too. After an ultimately unsuccessful effort to eliminate the filibuster during former President Joe Biden’s term roiled Democrats,