Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, faces mounting pressure from progressive factions within the Democratic Party to resign from his leadership position. This backlash is a consequence of his recent moves in a controversial, ongoing funding war. Others chalk up his bad judgment calls down to a government shutdown that digressed from the party’s fundamental values. At 74 years old, Schumer is the oldest leader in history at eight years in power. As that criticism has grown, he has more recently found himself increasingly alone.
Progressive groups like Indivisible and MoveOn have been active in their opposition to Schumer’s leadership. It is this last point—that his recent actions don’t align with the wishes of the party’s base—that they are mistaken about. Indivisible has even encouraged supporters to reach out to Democratic senators, urging them to seek new leadership within the party. Regardless of the outcome, this push represents a larger dissatisfaction among Democrats who believe Schumer has not done enough to lead and fight for their priorities.
The blowback toward Schumer deepened when he led a months-long effort. Specifically, he fought the government reopening unless key tax credits were extended to reduce premiums for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans. In July, Schumer supported an agreement reached among a bipartisan group of centrist senators. This change raised concerns about his commitment to progressive principles.
Critics have pointed out the conspicuous lack of Schumer’s fingerprints on the negotiated agreement. These are big questions about his influence and effectiveness as a supposed leader. Other lawmakers and groups associated with lawmakers have publicly demanded his removal.
Ro Khanna, a leading progressive Democratic congressman, underscored this feeling, declaring that “Schumer is finished … It’s time to replace him.” What his comments show is that he’s not alone in the party in feeling frustrated. As Rep. Rashida Tlaib said, this means the Schumer “has failed to meet this moment and is out of touch with the American people.”
The dissatisfaction with Schumer’s performance is not limited to isolated voices. It reflects a broader sentiment among several Democratic lawmakers. His California colleague Mike Levin put it bluntly saying that “Chuck Schumer has failed to rise to this moment. He told Senate Democrats to go beyond his leadership. Such statements reflect a palpable new consensus that Schumer is out of touch with his party’s changing priorities.
“Chuck Schumer should step down as Senate minority leader immediately. If he secretly backed this surrender and voted no to save face, he’s a liar. If he couldn’t keep his caucus in line, he’s inept. Either way, he’s proven incapable of leading the fight to prevent healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans.”
The tone of debate surrounding the recent short-term funding bill has caused controversy from within the GOP. Many Democrats are concerned about how the negotiations have played out. They say that Schumer’s all-around soft leadership style has fostered an unproductive environment.
Tempers flare, and tempers are short. A spokesman for Schumer did not respond to repeated requests for comment regarding the growing criticism and calls for his resignation. The silence from his office may indicate a reluctance to engage with dissenting voices within the party.
The split within the Democratic Party illustrates an important inflection point for the party. They need to work through their own divisions and tensions while aiming to show internal solidarity against GOP opposition. Indivisible makes an excellent and underappreciated point. They point out that despite his no vote, everyone in political circles knows that this result is solely due to Chuck Schumer’s leadership.
These feelings are a sign of increasing impatience with where the party is heading under Schumer’s tutelage. Lawmakers are increasingly vocal about their desire for leaders who will fight for working people and uphold progressive values.