An afternoon vote was expected to clear the way for a Republican-written bill to keep government funding flowing past midnight after the top Senate Democrat said he would not block it.

Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada were among the first Democrats to publicly back the Republican funding bill, arguing that a shutdown would only strengthen Trump’s hand. Seven more Democrat joined them during the final vote: Sens.

The Senate voted to advance a spending bill to fund the government through Sept. 30, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. The vote exposed a deep rift among Democrats.