Schumer faces mounting Dem calls to resign as leader
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 4. Photo: Pete Kiehart/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A growing list of House Democrats and liberal grassroots groups is calling for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to step down from leadership after failing to stop a group of his senators from voting to reopen the government.
Why it matters: It's the culmination of a year's worth of anger towards the Senate leader, who many younger, more pugilistic Democrats say is ill-suited to lead in the Trump era.
- "Sen. Schumer has failed to meet this moment and is out of touch with the American people," progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) said in a post on X.
- Said Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a moderate who is running for U.S. Senate, said "if [Schumer] were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote 'No'" on the Senate shutdown deal.
Driving the news: In addition to Moulton and Tlaib, Reps. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) called for Schumer to step down between Sunday night and Monday afternoon.
- "It is time for us to have somebody who can stand up to Trump and someone that is unwavering, somebody who is more strategic, and, frankly, somebody with guts," Thanedar said in a phone interview.
- Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) told Axios that Schumer "should not" remain as leader.
- Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) said in a statement to Axios: "If I were a senator, I would be asking Senator Schumer to step down as minority leader. He's simply cannot meet this moment."
Flashback: Only Reps. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) and Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) called for Schumer to step aside when he voted for a Republican spending bill in March.
- Ramirez doubled down on Monday, writing on X: "I've said it before, and I will say it again ... Schumer needs to resign."
Zoom out: Other Democrats skirted just up to the line.
- "If I had a vote it would be for Patty Murray," Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) told Axios, referring to her home state's senator.
- Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) criticized Schumer both for his handling of the shutdown and his refusal to endorse New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, posting on X, "Profile of scourge? Next."
Zoom in: Those lawmakers join a cohort of grassroots groups actively trying to orchestrate Schumer's ouster.
- Indivisible is urging Democratic voters to call their senators and tell them "time for Chuck Schumer to step aside" and launching a program to promote candidates in Senate Democratic primaries who are "firmly committed to opposing Schumer" as leader.
- Progressive group MoveOn also joined the chorus Monday, telling Axios' Holly Otterbein that around 80% of its members voted in a survey that Schumer should quit his leadership role.
- Some Democratic Senate candidates also got in on the action, with Moulton, Iowa's Nathan Sage and Zach Wahls, and Maine's Graham Platner, all calling for Schumer to step down.
The other side: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who in March initially demurred on whether he supported Schumer remaining as leader, firmly backed his Senate counterpart on Monday.
- Asked whether he believes Schumer is effective and should continue as leader, Jeffries responded, "Yes and yes."
- "The overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have waged a valiant fight over the last seven weeks," he added.
The intrigue: The anger towards Schumer comes even after he personally opposed the bipartisan deal.
- He also privately fought to stop the bipartisan spending bill from passing, Axios' Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols reported.
- But some Democrats have said none of that matters, with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) arguing on a private Democratic caucus call Monday that either Schumer "gave his blessing" to the deal or he "can't control his caucus."
Reality check: None of this matters for the time being as long as Senate Democrats continue to stick with Schumer.
- And not a single Democratic senator has said publicly that Schumer should step aside.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say that Rashida Tlaib represents Michigan (not Minnesota). It has been updated to include additional lawmakers and grassroots organizations that have called for Schumer to resign.
