GOP Left Wondering What's Next?

05:59

October 17, 2013

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., arrives for a meeting with House Republicans after Senate leaders reached a last-minute agreement Wednesday to avert a threatened Treasury default and reopen the government after a partial, 16-day shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

The last three weeks have not been great for the Republican party.

As 16 days of a government shutdown finally came to an end late last night, Republicans like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were left scratching their heads regarding what it means for the direction of the GOP: "Now the question is what will the party do?" Graham said on Wednesday night. "What will we learn from this, if anything?

NPR's Politics Editor, Charlie Mahtesian, discusses next steps for the GOP.

Guest

Charlie Mahtesian, politics editor for NPR digital news. He tweets @charlieNPR.

This segment aired on October 17, 2013.