With the normal appropriations process hopelessly deadlocked, Congress is again faced with the need to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open.

As President Lincoln warned, “With popular sentiment nothing can fail. Without popular sentiment nothing can succeed.”

Republicans and Democrats alike should keep this in mind as they negotiate government funding.

America’s New Majority Project conducted a national survey to get a general sense of public opinion about a potential shutdown. 

There are some clear signals about what Americans think, but there are also complexities.

Opposition to more spending is almost universal. Only 18 percent of Americans want to see spending increases beyond the current budget. Some 42 percent want to cut spending. This includes 57 percent of Republicans, 31 percent of Democrats, and 40 percent of independents.

This bias against more spending helps President Trump and congressional Republicans. 

However, sometimes people have competing — even contradictory — beliefs about public policy.

Americans don’t want more spending, but there is even stronger opposition to shutting down the government. Seventy-six percent of Americans — more than three in four — say it is important to avoid a shutdown.

Here, there is hope for Republicans. On a series of issues, Democrats clearly want more spending. If Republicans don’t give in to Democrat spending demands and the government shuts down, 40 percent of Americans would blame Democrats. In that situation only 24 percent would blame the Republicans.

This is a powerful example of why Republicans need a disciplined strategic effort with a clear, solid, and understandable message.

To that end, House Republicans have passed a continuing resolution to keep the government open through November 21. This gives them a solid position. They can clearly demonstrate that Republicans are trying to keep the government open — and the Democrats are willing to close it.

Republicans can strengthen their position further. They should emphasize that they are willing to discuss compromises that do not involve additional spending.

Republicans should make clear that they agree with the American people. Closing the government would be a mistake, and Democrats should be willing to work with Republicans to keep it open.

Since only 18 percent of Americans want Congress to increase spending (14 percent of Republicans, 14 percent of independents, and 25 percent of Democrats), there is no natural majority for a pro-spending Democrat position.

In fact, Americans are divided on how far they would go to avoid a shutdown. Thirty-nine percent say Republicans should give Democrats more spending to avoid a shutdown. And 37 percent say Republicans should hold the line even if it means the government shuts down.

The partisan split on paying more to keep the government open is sharp. While only 19 percent of Republicans say more spending is acceptable to avoid a shutdown, Democrats are overwhelmingly in favor of more spending (68 percent). 

Independents are split (32 percent favor compromise while 36 percent want to hold the line on spending). Democrats, to be sure, in general favor more spending under any circumstance. It makes sense that they would be happy to spend more to keep the government open.

The path to a coalition of Republican and independent voters is clear.

The danger faced by the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, is real. If they demand billions of dollars more in spending to keep the government open, they will be in a distinct minority with the American people. 

However, if they accept a Republican-crafted continuing resolution with no new spending, they will face enormous anger and hostility inside their own party. 

Mr. Trump and the Republicans are in a pretty good strategic position to win this fight. They must cheerfully advocate to keep the government open — and highlight any of the Democrats’ unpopular spending demands.

It’s just that simple.