The ongoing U.S. government shutdown is now tied for the longest in history as the resolution of Tuesday’s high-profile elections in New York City and elsewhere stand to alter the political dynamics in Washington, and potentially remove one obstacle to ending the standoff.

Once the off-year elections — which include gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia as well as New York’s mayoral race — are in the rear-view mirror, both political parties will be in a sprint to win control of Congress in next year’s midterms. But it’s not yet clear whether the outcome of Tuesday’s vote will further divide the parties or make them more amenable to compromise.

Several Republicans have suggested that Democrats have dug in on the shutdown for fear of angering their progressive base in the days

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