The GOP expected Democrats to relent on the shutdown by now. That isn't happening.

WASHINGTON — For the 12th time, Senate Democrats blocked the Republican Party's government funding legislation this week without a single senator switching his or her vote

WASHINGTON — For the 12th time, Senate Democrats blocked the Republican Party's government funding legislation this week without a single senator switching his or her vote.

Just three Democratic caucus members voted for the bill: John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Angus King, I-Maine. That means Republicans are still five votes short of the 60-vote threshold to ensure passage of the bill, just as they have been since before the government shut down 23 days ago.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told NBC News he’s taken aback by some of the Democratic posturing and rhetoric.

“I’m surprised at how open they’ve been about it,” Thune said in an interview Thursday. “That statement yesterday by that House member that they know the American people are going to suffer but this is their leverage? This isn’t about leverage. This isn’t a political game. It’s about people’s lives.”

He was referring to House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., who said in a recent Fox News interview: “Shutdowns are terrible. Of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have — it is an inflection point in this budget process where we have tried to get the Republicans to meet with us and prioritize the American people.”