WASHINGTON (AP) — One Senate Republican who’s also a presidential candidate is urging Congress to allow a partial government shutdown, as a way to gain leverage over President Barack Obama.

The Senate is on track to pass a spending bill that would keep the government from shutting down tomorrow night. But hardline conservative Republicans are denouncing their party’s leaders in the House and Senate for backing away from the removal of federal funding from Planned Parenthood, in order to make sure that a shutdown doesn’t take place.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky took to the floor Tuesday and urged leaders to “start out with the negotiating position that we defund everything that’s objectionable.” He added that “it would take courage because you have to let spending expire.”

Monday night’s 77-19 vote on the spending bill easily beat a token filibuster threat and sets up the final vote.

Senator Moran and 18 others voted against the measure. Senator Roberts, who has spoken against funding Planned Parenthood, voted in favor of of the funding bill to avoid the government shutdown.

 

I am a cosponsor of legislation introduced by @RandPaul to #DefundPlannedParenthood. Our tax dollars should not fund such gruesome practices

— Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) July 28, 2015

Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell says the stopgap measure isn’t his “preferred method for funding the government,” but he said it’s “the most viable way forward.” He accused Democrats of forcing the country “into this situation.

The bill has been stripped of a tea party-backed measure to take taxpayer funding away from Planned Parenthood as the price for keeping the government open.