Government shutdown updates: Senate vote marks step towards ending federal shutdown

Hosting Senate Republicans at the White House, President Donald Trump said he wanted to talk with them about Tuesday's election results. Democrats racked up major wins in New York City, New Jersey and Virginia, in an election considered to be a referendum on him and Republicans.

"I thought we would have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented and what we should do about it," Trump said. "And also about the shutdown and how that relates to last night. I think if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor, negative, for the Republicans."

President Donald Trump summoned Senate Republicans for breakfast at the White House on Wednesday morning after reiterating his call for them to eliminate the Senate filibuster to end the shutdown.

"We are in the midst of a disastrous Democrat-created government shutdown. And it is Democrat-created but I don't think they're getting, really, the blame that they should," Trump said. "It's now officially the longest shutdown in American history."

Trump said he didn't believe the stalemate would end soon as he continued to bash Democrats.

"I think they're kamikaze pilots. just got back from Japan, I talked about the kamikaze pilots. I think these guys are kamikazes, they'll take down the country if they have to. I don't think so," he said.

The government shutdown has now lasted 36 days and counting, making it the longest shutdown in history.

President Donald Trump has been in the White House during the two longest shutdowns in history. The previous 35-day record was set during his first term, with Democrats refusing to fund his southern border wall. That impasse ended with Trump and Republicans compromising to reopen the government.

Democrats huddled behind closed doors for nearly three hours Tuesday at an all-caucus lunch. They were tight lipped departing the meeting and reluctant to describe the nature of the ongoing discussion.

But there was a notable change in tone from Democratic leadership.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has defended the Democrats' position to vote against funding the government until Republicans engage in a negotiation over health care that the GOP have repeatedly said they wouldn't partake in unless the lights were turned back on.

But following the lengthy caucus meeting when Schumer was asked about where Democrats stand on a possible deal, he gave a different sort of answer.

"We are exploring all the options," he said.

Though Schumer once again asserted the dire situation Americans are facing with ballooning health care costs, his comment is indicative of what is an increasing sense among senators on Capitol Hill that momentum is picking up on bipartisan talks between rank-and-file members on a path out of the shutdown.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., has been involved in the discussions. Leaving the lunch today, said negotiations were "ongoing" and that there was a "variety" of options being discussed.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin