Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) continues to face criticism from members of his party over his decision to help advance Republicans’ stopgap spending bill, with some raising questions about his leadership role.
On March 13, the Senate broke the filibuster on the package with the assistance of Schumer and several Democrats, paving the way for its final passage on March 14.
The decision was a politically fraught one for the minority leader, but one he’s continued to defend as the best option that was available to him. Schumer said a shutdown would have increased President Donald Trump’s power and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“The [stopgap] is a bad bill,” Schumer said minutes ahead of the cloture vote on March 14, reiterating earlier comments. “But as bad as [it] is, I believe that allowing Donald Trump to take more power is worse.”
Schumer took the helm of the Senate Democratic caucus in 2017, following the departure of former leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
Now, in the wake of his vote, some Democrats are suggesting that it’s time for Schumer to step down from the top spot—while Schumer says he has no intention of doing so.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a leading voice in the House Progressive Caucus, publicly broke with the minority leader during a March 24 appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“The American people are fed up with the old guard, there needs to be a renewal,” Khanna said. “You know, in Silicon Valley, when a company isn’t doing well, you don’t keep the same team.”
“I think there’s going to be a new generation in this country,” Khanna said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has also decried Schumer’s vote, saying many Democrats felt “a deep sense of outrage and betrayal” at the decision.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also weighed in, saying he believed that “we gave up our leverage.”
It’s a common criticism from Democrats, even those who aren’t ready to call for Schumer’s ouster.
Before the vote, Jeffries had sought to present a united Democratic front against the bill.
Currently, however, Jeffries isn’t making the call for any shake-up in the Senate.
Despite initially refusing to defend his New York colleague’s vote, Jeffries has since insisted that the two are united. Following the March 14 vote, Jeffries initially refused to answer a question about Schumer’s leadership.
After being pressed whether he supported Schumer’s leadership more recently, Jeffries replied, “Yes, I do.”
Schumer, for his part, confirmed on March 23 that he wouldn’t be stepping down, saying that he had expected “a lot of controversy” over the decision.
While the Republican stopgap was “certainly bad,” Schumer told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” a shutdown would have been “15 or 20 times worse.”
“Under a shutdown, the executive branch has sole power to determine what is, quote, ‘essential,'” Schumer said. “And they can determine without any court supervision. The courts have ruled it’s solely up to the executive what to shut down.”
It’s the argument Schumer has made since announcing his decision to back the bill advancing on March 13.
And for now, Schumer is seeking to emphasize that he and Jeffries are working together.
“We’re moving forward—Hakeem and I have a plan,” Schumer said during an appearance on “CBS Mornings.”
The split comes as Democrats advanced vastly different approaches to government funding. Historically, stopgap spending bills have relied on Democrat votes, given many Republicans’ blanket opposition to such measures.
This is especially true in the Senate, where legislation requires 60 votes to overcome the filibuster threshold.
Some Democrats—and particularly progressive opponents of the administration—wanted to use the process to limit cuts to government agencies or entitlement programs by DOGE, which is headed by Elon Musk.
Without Schumer’s backing, it’s unclear if the measure could have overcome the filibuster in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Republicans this week plan to continue their work on a massive budget package intended to implement the key items in Trump’s agenda. This package is being crafted with minimal input from Democrats, as it will not be subject to the filibuster.
—Joseph Lord
BOOKMARKS
Amid Democrats’ infighting, CNN reported that Jeffries and his allies see him facing a crossroads in his approach to leading the caucus. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reportedly encouraged Jeffries, “Use your power,” and allies to the House minority leader say he’s now working through how to interact with Schumer in the future.
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