Senate Democrats — including Colorado's Bennet and Hickenlooper — vote down GOP funding bill, putting government on path to shutdown

By Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro and Stephen Groves , The Associated Press and Jesse Paul , The Colorado Sun

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats Tuesday evening voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near certain path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday for the first time in almost seven years.

The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. Colorado’s two senators, Democrats John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, were among the “no” votes.

“What we’re fighting for really here is health care,” Hickenlooper told The Colorado Sun on Tuesday in an interview ahead of the vote.

The vote came as Democrats are making good on their threat to cl