Chuck Schumer faces one of his most dangerous moments Senate leadership career.
Senate minority leaders have launched a second day in a row from Democrats who infuriated him to support the Republican bill to avoid government shutdowns, and the fallout appears likely to continue well past Friday’s vote.
A small number of House members, including parts of the battlefield district, float in support of a major challenge to him. Activists are organising efforts to punish him financially. Schumer is faced with questions within his own Caucus about whether he made strategic mistakes in handling high stakes moments and failed to outline a clear plan on how to deal with the complex politics of closure, according to an interview with six lawmakers or their aides. Some democratic senators have even personally doubted whether he should remain as their leader.
“He caused a lot of damage to the party,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of the liberal group, scheduled an emergency call with the New York branch and other local leaders on Saturday. [Democratic] Leadership is equipped to handle the moment we are in. ”
With a surprising indication of how deep Schumer’s local frustration runs, House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries refuses to stoke his fellow New Yorkers for life. He said that a reporter asked me if there should be new leadership in the Senate on Friday, “next question.”
Schumer’s one-time partner, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), is I encourage the senator to vote against his position.“This false choice I’m buying instead of combat is unacceptable.” And dozens of House Democrats I sent a sharply expressed letter Schumer Friday expressed his “strong opposition” to his position, claiming that “Americans sent Democrats to fight Republican dysfunction and chaos,” and that the party should “not fall into their thwart.”
Several senators said they supported his leadership, but some Senate Democrats said they avoided questions when asked in person about Schumer’s leadership role on Friday.
“There’s still more to this,” Sen. Tim Kane (D-Va.) said when asked whether backlash would affect Schumer’s role as leader. “So I’m not really thinking about the politics of big painting.”
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) also dodged, saying, “The leader I’m not confident in is Donald Trump.” Sen. Reuben Gallego (D-Ariz.) responded to questions about whether he still supports Schumer by calling for a “good after” on Senate Democrats’ approach to the government’s fundraising fight.
“Whenever you fail, this is a complete failure — we as a caucus requires that as a caucus, we look back at it to Democrats and our constituents around the country, he said.
One Democrat senator granted anonymity to share private discussions. This said the conversation was beginning to begin with whether Schumer should be the future leader.
“There are many concerns about not planning and implementing it,” the senator said. “It’s not that I didn’t understand what this was going to happen.”
The frustration with Schumer reflects the boiling outrage among Democrats over what they see as their party’s lack of strategy to take on Trump in his second term. Few people in democratic circles consider Schumer’s job as a minority leader a risky role, but although he has not been re-elected until 2028, his frustration with him extends across the party’s spectrum, from moderate to progressive, both inside and outside the Congress.
Schumer defended the vote to keep the government running as the best of two bad choices aimed at not making concessions to the government and billionaire adviser Elon Musk. A caucus with nine Democrats and Democrats joined him to advance enough bills to prevent government shutdowns.
“The government closure will give Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Doge almost full power on what to close, as they can determine what is an essential service,” Schumer said in an interview with CNN. “My job as a leader is to lead the party and protect the party if there is danger in the near future. And I’m proud to have done it. I knew I did the right thing, and I knew there were some disagreements. That’s what I always did.”
He added that he has no interest in his leadership position. “I have overwhelming support for my Caucus, and many members thanked me and said, ‘You did what you thought was courageous, and we respect that.’ ”
Someone close to Schumer said the senators and other Democrats who supported the bill would give cover to colleagues who opposed it.
“People voting [continuing resolution] It gives everyone else a huge amount of political protection,” he said.
However, in the closed room, even the longtime Schumer’s allies raise youkai that have passed his time.
“Biden is gone. Pelosi is in the background. Schumer said one New York-based donor, a longtime leader advocate.
Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said that “active conversations” are taking place among liberal groups about how Schumer pays. He said Schumer is likely to face protests against his support for the GOP bill at his tour halt due to his new book, “American Anti-Semitism: Warning” next week. However, he said that efforts to maintain “accountability” to him would not end there.
“He has to give examples to implement a democratic backbone from now on,” he said.
And it’s far from just progressive.
“I have never seen such united rage across the party in a long time,” said Charlotte Cleimmer, a Democratic operative associated with the party’s moderate wing, which launched a petition to boycott Senate Democrats until Schumer forced him to become a minority leader. “Senator Schumer has been able to unite us a lot more than Trump has in recent months.”
“We need more leaders from the Democratic stands and the wing of the fight,” Congress’ progressive caucus chair Greg Cassal said in a statement. Moveon warned that “members of the liberal group will require answers from “elected officials” regarding the vote.” The Progressive Organizational Justice Democrats texted supporters reading “F*CK Chuck Schumer.”
Also on Friday, dozens of protesters organized by the Sunrise Movement descended on Schumer’s office in the Hart Senate building, holding a sign that reads “Schumer: Step Up or Aside” and reversed the course on support for the bill. The group said 11 people had been arrested.
“We must consider the fact that young people, working class people, people of color, the backbone of the Democratic Party — are separated from the party,” said Stevie O’Hanlon, the organization’s Politician Director. “Chuck Schumer is part of the reason.”
Still, some democratic senators stood by Schumer on Friday.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) was asked if people were urging her to run for Schumer’s job, and said, “No, no.” “I’m working today,” he added.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who has retired after this semester, is called Schumer “A Good Leader.” Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) told reporters that he still has confidence in Schumer in his top role.
Others admitted that Schumer found himself there when he tried to pilot his caucus in two evil situations without the same simple majority cover that Jeffries had in his home.
“It’s difficult to be a leader,” Sen. Jack Reed said.
Reported by Emily Ngo and Haley Fuchs.
