A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY:

While the strategy is fluid, House Democrats hope to pass a funding bill shortly after members are sworn in. They believe that would put pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to follow suit. And they're confident that their political leverage will only increase the longer the shutdown lasts -- a notion that some GOP leaders privately agree with.

Indeed, the specter of a lengthy shutdown could hurt Trump's already damaged image more than it would Democrats -- especially because he claimed ownership of the crisis two weeks ago. Democrats believe the shutdown battle -- combined with the volatility in financial markets and special counsel Robert Mueller closing in on Trump -- exacerbates the appearance of a cornered president acting out of his own political self-interest instead of the needs of the American public.

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