Grassroots groups have outlined a type of performance improvement plan for embattled Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, we have learned.

Why it matters: The groups can make Schumer's life very difficult, by organizing protests against him and his members or dangling potential primary challengers. And they want to see changes in how he leads his caucus.

• "I should be the leader. ... I am sort of the orchestra leader, and I have a lot of talent in that orchestra," Schumer said today on ABC's "The View."
• Schumer and his advisers have heard from groups across the Democratic Party spectrum, from the leftist Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) to Moveon.org and the more establishment Indivisible.

Their top three demands:

1. More seats at the table: The groups want to influence the discussion earlier in the process and a more proactive plan to battle Republicans.
2. Elevate younger voices in the party, especially Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y). Schumer brought Murphy and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), known for their media savvy, into his leadership team this year.
3. Go on offense. They want more fight from Schumer — and are pushing him to encourage his members to host town halls in their states' redder areas if the GOP representatives don't. "It is a source of real pain for the Republican Party when veterans and Trump voters in Republican districts have a voice," PCCC co-founder Adam Green told us.

Zoom in: Second-guessing by the party's liberal grassroots groups can quickly aggravate elected leaders, who were "pissed" at the groups last month.

• Schumer has taken a public pounding from his party's base, not to mention House Democrats (more in item No. 2), since voting to keep the government open last week.
• "I myself don't give away anything for nothing. I think that's what happened the other day," House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said today at a town hall. (Pelosi also said she's confident in Schumer's leadership.)

The bottom line: Schumer has gone on a media tour to defend his actions, arguing that shutting down the government would have been irresponsible.

• The Democratic groups argue Schumer was caught flatfooted in dealing with the GOP's government funding bill over the last month.

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— Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols

Rank-and-file anger toward Schumer is spilling over into internal discussions this week, more than half a dozen House Dems tell us.

Why it matters: House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries threw his support behind Schumer this morning. But many of his members are still privately fuming.

• "From the threads I am on, [people are] pissed off ... and not just the typical lefties," one House Dem told us on the condition of anonymity to share details of private conversations.
• People are "mainly venting" but also "talking a big game about supporting AOC" in a possible primary challenge, the Dem told us.
• Schumer's popularity is "hovering somewhere between Elon Musk and the Ebola virus," a senior House Dem told us of the internal mood.
• "Big mad" is how another Dem described the mood of their colleagues.

Zoom in: Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) argued frustration toward Schumer is "a bit of an inside-the-beltway conversation" and that constituents "actually told me they understood Schumer's argument."

• House Democrats are "for sure" miffed at the Senate leader, Pocan told us, but voters are "pissed at Trump and Musk ... not really Schumer."
• The House vs. Senate Dems conflict also "doesn't ruin our going into Republican districts to hold town halls," the first House Dem told us.

— Andrew Solender

Democrats are slamming nine vulnerable House Republicans for avoiding town halls — launching a billboard campaign and scheduling their own Q&As in competitive districts, Axios has learned.

• The new DNC billboards will say lawmakers "won't talk to his/her constituents" and include the member's office phone number — urging people to call and demand a town hall.
• "If Republicans won't show up, then Democrats will," DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement provided to us.

The other side: Schumer's postponed book tour is undermining the argument, and the Democratic infighting is giving Republicans fresh fodder this week.

• Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has urged Republicans to emphasize Democratic dysfunction while home in their districts.
• "Chuck Schumer had to cancel his book tour because he is being protested by the radical left over a clean CR," a top Cotton staffer wrote in guidance to congressional aides this week, according to an email we obtained.

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— Stef Kight

It's been more than four months since President Trump announced Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as his UN ambassador — and she finally has a date for when she will be free from the House.

• Stefanik's nomination is set to move on April 2, two sources familiar told us.

Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson's slim margins, GOP defectors and Trump's House GOP shopping spree have forced Stefanik to stay behind.

• That will allow time for the winner of the Florida special elections on April 1 to fill the seats vacated by former GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz, the new White House national security adviser.
• Stefanik's confirmation vote will happen immediately after the new members are seated, a Trump official involved in the process told us. It's not expected to be a controversial vote.

The bottom line: More trouble for the majority could be brewing, with Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul expected to do her own slow-walking on the special election to replace Stefanik, Semafor's Kadia Goba reported.

• Every empty GOP seat makes Johnson's job that much harder.

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— Stef Kight