There's a mid-March deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown, and hesitation is surfacing among congressional Republicans about potential cuts to Medicaid.

The possibility of Medicaid cuts has become a headache for the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress — and has handed Democrats a potent issue ahead of 2026 elections.

Democrats are rerunning the playbook that won them control of Congress in 2018, focusing on the cost of the G.O.P.’s tax cut plan for ordinary Americans, particularly when it comes to health care.

In theory, the budget, which kicks off the process of passing an extension of tax cuts enacted in 2017 and up to $2 trillion in spending cuts meant to partly offset them, could become law without significant cuts to Medicaid. But it won’t be easy.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew said the President “understood” his concerns, which are also shared by a number of other Republicans.

Programs projected to prevent thousands of deaths and even more illnesses are on the chopping block, while Republicans propose handing $4.5 trillion to millionaires and billionaires.

The president has said his administration “won’t touch” entitlement programs. Past efforts to do so have backfired on Trump and other politicians.