Rick Scott

Senator Rick Scott, the Florida Republican, is pushing his colleagues to rally around legislation that would delay a potential government shutdown ahead of the November midterm elections.

Most federal funding expires when the calendar turns to October. Scott urged the GOP caucus in a Monday memo to prepare for Democratic obstruction in appropriations talks, which may start in the coming months. Democrats blocked Republicans from passing bills to reopen the government last fall, when the Senate failed to come to a consensus on healthcare policy and extended a record-long 43-day shutdown.

Polling showed the closure harmed public perception of Republicans, who control Congress.

“Democrats don’t care whether federal workers are paid, what a government shutdown does to Americans who rely on government services, or what a shutdown does to the economy,” Scott wrote in his message. “Democrats have been clear that they want to shut down government on October 1st because they believe that is their path to a majority in November.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has rejected blame for last fall’s shutdown, arguing Republicans failed to cut a deal on subsidy extensions that would have reduced healthcare costs. He has warned of letting funding expire for some departments, however, if the GOP negotiates in bad faith.