A growing number of Democrats are calling on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to step down as leader after some Senate Democrats defected by voting to advance a measure that could ultimately end the government shutdown.
“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., wrote on X. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
The government shutdown began on Oct. 1 because Democrats repeatedly withheld support for measures that would have funded the government over demands to extend enhanced Obamacare subsidies. Senate Republicans signaled their openness to debate and vote on the Obamacare subsidies, but only when the government was open.
The deal that is poised to break the shutdown impasse was a win for Senate Republicans. While the deal guarantees a future vote to extend the Obamacare enhanced subsidies, which were passed during the Biden administration under the understanding that they would eventually expire, that vote will be separate from the measure to reopen the government. Now, some Democrats are criticizing Schumer for failing to ensure that the subsidies will be extended in exchange for reopening the government or extracting other major concessions.
Democrat Candidates for Senate Turn on Schumer’s Leadership
Democrat Senate candidates are turning Schumer’s failure into a campaign issue, attacking the New York senator for failing to keep his conference united—despite the current shutdown being the longest in American history.
“Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership. If [Schumer] were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare.” Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., added in a comment on social media. Moulton is currently running to oust longtime Democrat Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.
“Chuck Schumer is not built for this moment,” Graham Platner posted on X. Graham is another Democrat running against the establishment candidate for the Democrat nomination for Maine’s 2026 Senate general election.
Democrat Governors and Leaders Speak Out
Democrat leaders with political momentum on the state level condemned the capitulation.
“Tonight’s Senate vote on the federal government shutdown should have been a time for strength. Instead, we saw capitulation and a betrayal of working Americans. The American people need more from their leaders,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a 2028 presidential contender, critiqued on social media.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, another name floated for 2028 based on his reputation for fighting the Trump administration, expressed his frustration. “This is not a deal—it’s an empty promise. Trump and his Republican Congress are making healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families. Time for Democrats to stand tall for affordable healthcare,” Pritzker stated on X.
“Ending the shutdown shouldn’t come at the expense of health care for tens of millions of Americans. This deal paves the way for devastating premium hikes that will drive up costs for New Yorkers. Count me out,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul stated on X.
Even New York City’s future mayor, Zohran Mamdani, weighed in, writing, “This ‘deal’ dramatically hikes healthcare premiums and only exacerbates the affordability crisis. It should be rejected, as should any politics willing to compromise on the basic needs of working people.”
Who Still Has Schumer’s Back?
Some, however, are continuing to back Schumer.
“Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats over the last seven weeks, have waged a valiant fight on behalf of the American people, and I’m not going to explain what a handful of Senate Democrats have decided to do, that’s their explanation,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said a House press conference on Monday, reaffirming his support for his Senate counterpart.
When asked specifically about the Senate Democrats who broke party ranks to overcome the first procedural hurdle to reopen the government, Jeffries replied, “I don’t have much to say about those individuals, and they’re going to have to explain themselves to their constituents and to the American people.”
Schumer and the Democrat senators who voted to overcome the procedural hurdle for their part defended their decision by emphasizing what they viewed as the wins in the potential bill.
“This legislation will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay as required by a law I got passed in 2019,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., posted on X.
“We will keep fighting,” Schumer promised on X.
Jacob Adams is a journalism fellow at The Daily Signal. Send an email to Jacob.
Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Jacob Adams.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Dems eat their own, nowhere are there discussions about serving the American people. Instead, holding party politics above the good of the nation and holding hostage even the government for their gain. Self-serving politicians are a disgrace.
He will never step aside. Democrats never step aside for anything. And when he is finally forced out, they’re going to usher in the socialism age AOC and Mamdani. Stand by for the total demise of the Democrat party. And I don’t understand for the life of me how Democrats can blame Donald Trump for everything that’s wrong with his country he’s only been in office twice but for some reason he was responsible for every problem we’ve had. Seems to me like the Democrats have been around through all of them huh?
Schumer shut down the government and Schumer relented anf opened it again. Holding the country hostage over affordable healthcare was hurting the people not President Trump. They could have signed a clean ER and then sit down to discuss the overhaul of the expensive health insurance the democrats pushed tgrough in 2010. It never was affordable from day one. And then when Biden added the subsidy to pay for it that was to support the Health Insurance Industry. Not the people. Now the democrats wanted to add in addition to the subsidy the illegals. Why? To have the country go broke? To keep the Insurance Giants rich? President Trump had the right idea. Let’s pay the subsidy directly to the people. That is not what the dems want. Helping the people directly to pay the premiums.? What about the insurance companies?. They want that money directly so some of it can find their way to these dem senators pockets. It was a political plan to undermine president Trump. Only they hurt the people, the businesses and the government workers. What they wasted these past 40 days and 40 nights they could have paid the full health insurance premiums for every insured American. Bernie keeps talking that they are working for the common man. No they are not. When they had to vote not taking their own salary it died in committee. Bernie never talked about the people suffering. They never talked about the soldiers not getting paid, they never talked about ICE agents not getting paid. What am I saying they would rather put a bounty on their head. Oh yes they have done that already as well. With the snitch line another dictatorial move by Schumer.
The communists in the party are losing it. 8 of them saw the light that in order to keep our constitutional republic and our freedom they voted with their heart and not for money and power.
Who made health care unaffordable? The Democrats! With the passing of Obamacare, most insurance plans now have a high deductible to reach before covering a lot of the costs. Remember that Nancy Pelosi said they had to pass it to see what was in it. Schumer placed his bet on the wrong horse. Americans do not want to pay for healthcare for illegals when they struggle to pay for healthcare for themselves or can’t afford it at all.
President Trump’s suggestion of paying citizens to purchase their own plans from a mandatory list is excellent and should be considered. Power to the people!
Just like Hitler with Roehm, the head of his SA, the democrats are now recreating their own “Day of the Long Knives”. Socialists are, as socialists do whether democratic socialists now, or national socialist then, their end goal is always the same global power, and control whether they call themselves democrats, democratic socialists, fascists, national socialists, Marxists, Maoists, Trotskyists, Anarchists, globalists, statists, or occultists, wiccans, Luciferians, or satanists; they are all part of the same sliding scale of anti-social, authoritarian, totalitarian, inhumane system that always ends with brutality, destruction, poverty, and genocide. It is time to fix what Obama broke, and outlaw the communist party in America again, because it is incompatible with the U.S. Constitution, American values, and freedom. An ideology that seeks to overthrow our form of government cannot be allowed to undermine that same system from the inside. letting them run cities, or to represent people in Congress when they seek to abolish our system of elections is insanity.
As much as I loath the man I hope he perseveres a bit longer, what will replace him is too horrific is a mild word.
No honor amongst thieves.
AS far as I am concerned, Obamacare was the Dems attempt at socialized medicine. See how that worked for us? Just ask a Vet how their health care system, run by the government. works for them??? Bet they can give you an ear full. Socialized medicine does not work I was in health care for over 25 years. I know it will not work. All one has to do is look at England or Canada. IT SUCKS!!! Good that some of the Dems win the Senate came to their senses. The clean CR should have been accepted then the discussions held, instead of them throwing their childish temper tantrum, at the expense of the American people. Had a Dem been the President and the rolls reversed, you would hear the Dems shouting from the roof tops how horrible it was to shut down the government. Voters, DO NIT FORGET WHAT THE DEMS DID!!!
Democratic Senator from CA is lying…Democrats are responsible for the Unaffordable Care Act.
Hakeem HAS to alibi Schumer because he is in the same position in the House. AOC and the others in her coven want HIM out. For once the GOP remained steadfast, largely because of Trump’s strong counsel! DIMMs [the large Communist wing] will gladly drive their car over the cliff like Thelma and Louise!
What an awful man. The US of America would have been better off, if this man retired long ago. Can’t get them out with a crowbar.
One cent spent on health care for known law breakers and anyone wanting to vote for it should be thrown out of government if it’s not for law bieding citizens and them alone shouldn’t even be debated period
People who are on Obamacare should look into private insurance with insurance companies. They won’t have to pay for all the transgender surgeries and drug and alcohol treatments
The people they chose to not represent are the taxpaying citizens of our country. They chose illegals, criminals, agendas and filling their pockets. Our politicians grow more corrupt every day and hold our citizens hostage for their own benefit. JMO
Funny how the very same democrats who blamed Trump for the shutdown are now blaming Schumer for the re-opening.
This is laughable…..the whole bunch of these dems should resign….they all were at fault in using this political ploy to blackmail all of us. Somewhere along the way there has to be a mandate to ban shutdowns all together. Maybe this will prompt a state Constitutional convention to get a mandated balanced budget amendment and stop the quarterly idiocy of shutdowns. Won’t happen, I know, but I can hope. Same thing for term limits on congress that would “shutdown” the likes of senators and reps with tenure in the decades….lots of 40 plus year office holders out there..(Pelosi has 20 terms under her belt)…sucking up power and getting rich on our dime.
Better yet, perhaps Democrats should have come up with a plan to replace ACA and the hugely expensive premiums and co-pays that result in a need for subsidies. Affordable? What a laugh. What a scam! Fix the damned thing or toss it.
Most healthcare premiums were already negotiated for 2026 before Trump was inaugurated this year. In fact, it would have been when Biden was in.
As a lifelong New Yorker, I have been calling on Chuck to resign for years. He just won’t go away! Creepy, sleezy politician. Can’t even make an honest cheeseburger.
CHUCKY SHOOMA WON’T RESIGN HE CAN STILL MAKE MONEY.
WHEN HE IS NOT ELECTED AGAIN THEN HE WILLL GO.
It amazes me when the Democrats carry on like they are doing the will of the people even as they do the exact opposite! I really hope the voters remember the “Shutdown Party” for it’s actions come the Mid Terms!
If that governor of PA, Shapiro, worried more about getting his own job done than criticizing Trump for Schumer shutting down the federal government PA may have a budget passed by now. I guess it’s better to have no budget for over four months than it is to have no budget in place for over a month. They are all lunatics!
Imploding from within the ranks. Gee, ya gotta love it.
BUT will he resign?? when & allies too
I have watched this show sense I was a teen. They have played us for decades and when Our President’s term is done they will go right back to their lies and deceit. This will happen if we don’t watch and vote in someone has close to Trump as we can get.Never let your Gard down ! there are snakes on both sides.
Considering that they are saying that Republicans are jumping ship over the sinking of drug smugglers, I wonder just how many Dems are actually calling for this step down. Probably just “the squad”. What difference does it make, they’re a failed party anyway; it’s just a matter of time.
I’ll bet they’ve got a Socialist in mind to take Chuckie’s place!
Why do the Demoncrats believe the way to decrease insurance premiums is to increase government subsidies, especially when the insurance companies are showing billions in profits.
Seems to me the way to lower insurance premiums is to get the DOJ to investigate the whole industry for fraud.
Schumer can be ousted but please send RINO McConnell with him. As for the subsidies for obamacare pass a law that the insurance companies must operate without them an d without overcharging the populace.
Schumer was toast no matter which way the shutdown went. He should have been able to read the writing on the wall. Schumer is not communist enough, he’s not socialist enough, he’s not angry enough, he’s not violent enough, and he’s not stupid enough to still belong to the democrst party. Schumer should move out of NY and convert to the Republican party.
I’ve never been a fan of Chuckles, however, blaming him for the Democrats who voted to end the shutdown means (to me) that he now realizes that not all Democrat Senators (moderates) are totally insane. He shouldn’t be blamed for others’ mental health or lack thereof.
Not that Chuckles shouldn’t go, it’s just that he would be replaced by someone who is more crazy than he is and it’s probably AOC. It’s a shame how sick his people are. Do you think Chuckles has a heart?
Looks like Chuck is going down with the ship like a good AIPAC member should do.He has made millions of dollars in government all these years so he is set for life.So he can be replaced by some one younger that hates Americas more than he do,s.
The America-hating EVIL Socialist-Communists in CONgress are calling for, and will soon DEMAND, that the left-wing progressive, American-hating DemoRAT either stepdown immediately, resign, or retire.
There is no longer a Democrat party.
The democrats who broke with their party to reopen the government have already explained to the American people despite what Jeffries said. They were putting Americans first. They didn’t cross the line to become Republicans. A huge percent of his district are on some form of welfare. He should be helping the people in his district better themselves instead of chastising the democrats who actually want to help our country.
Scam
I believe all corrupt politicians of whom Schumer certainly qualifies, should be removed at all costs from political life.
One thing however, to our knowledge anyway, is that Schumer has not committed murder. Unfortunately for those that gave their heart and soul toward supporting 3 times now, the same cannot be said for President Trump whose victims range from still suckling Palestinian children and their mothers to, for all anyone really knows, simple boaters in the general vicinity of Venezuela, in INTERNATIONAL waters. Does anyone truly believe that 3 star general that oversaw those crimes resigned so he could spend more time taking his grandkids to Disneyworld? NO, he resigned so he wouldn’t have to endure what many other American war criminals have undergone, for example, William Calley. More examples? Many soldiers rot to this day in prison for illegal violent actions in places we had no business being in like Iraq and Afghanistan.
But the cult believes the BESTEST EVER President Trump is a pure patriot with only the best interest of America in his heart. If that is true then why did he just host a literal head chopping ISIS member in OUR White House.
Evil is in the Oval Office and the Senate. Hopefully Schumer will soon depart and also hopefully some trust worthy Congressman will introduce articles of impeachment against Trump………this time for several obvious true causes.
One less boomer and his lazy eye lol