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FIRST ON FOX: Senate Majority Leader John Thune , R-S.D., said he believes Senate Democrats are posturing for a government shutdown to score a political win with their base, and he’s trying to prevent it.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Thune argued that Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y., lack a real reason for not backing the GOP’s short-term government funding extension other than to appease the "far left."

Thune said that in March, when Democrats last joined Republicans to keep the government open, Schumer and his caucus made a "very different argument" about averting a partial government shutdown, but the move was unpopular with their political base.

SENATE REPUBLICANS BRAND LOO

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