While Democrats used the government shutdown to raise money, the GOP turned their fire on five embattled Democratic senators up for reelection in states President Trump won, telling 2,610,681 voters that their senators were picking illegal immigrants over the health of children and maintaining military strength.

Republican National Committee officials said they spend “six figures” for a robo-call operation Saturday that demanded Democratic senators give up their budget blockade or else.

“The RNC urged more than 2.5 million Americans in key battleground states to call their senators and remind them that Americans will remember in November that their Democrat senators jeopardized funding for our military and health care for nine million vulnerable children with their votes to shut down the Federal government,” said an official.

Republicans said the budget must be funded especially because of U.S. military security and to revive a childhood medical program that covers many more millions than the 700,000 illegals in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program they want included in any deal.

Those targeted and the number of calls:

Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, 780,072 voters.

Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, 455,231 voters.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, 563,233 voters.

Pennsylvania Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr., 299,137 voters.

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, 513,008 voters.

Below is a sample of the telephone call transcript, this one targeting Brown:

Hello this is _____ calling from the Republican National Committee.

Senator Brown recklessly voted to shut down the United States government. Endangering our military servicemen and women and jeopardizing the health of children across the nation.

Call Senator Brown TODAY at 202-224-2315

It is infuriating, it is petty, and YOU deserve better from your elected official.

Democrats took a gamble with American priorities last night - And all because they prioritized illegal immigrants over American citizens.

Demand that your Senator do their job - vote to FUND the government, SUPPORT our military, and PROVIDE healthcare for millions of American children.

Call Senator Brown TODAY at 202-224-2315

This call was paid for by the Republican National Committee, not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. www.gop.com

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com