Booker calls for new Democratic leadership, hints at potential 2028 run

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Amid growing calls from House Democrats and others in the party to remove Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-Y) from his long-time role as Senate Democratic leader, a top Democratic senator says it’s time for “new leadership” in the party.

Speaking one-on-one with Fox News Digital in New Hampshire, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said this is also the moment for a younger generation of Democratic leaders to “take the stage.”

Four days after Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucused with Booker Friday, seven Senate Democrats and the party defied Senate Democratic leaders and voted with Republicans in the majority to end the longest federal government shutdown in history.

Many progressives and center-left Democrats have criticized the deal to end the shutdown, which did not include a top Democratic priority: an agreement to expand expiring subsidies that have made health insurance coverage more affordable for millions of Americans through the Affordable Care Act, known as the ACA, or Obamacare.

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Schumer, the top Democrat in the chamber despite his opposition to the deal, has faced growing calls for resignation from a growing number of party members over his failure to keep Senate Democrats united.

But to date, no Senate Democrats have joined calls for Schumer’s resignation.

“The Democratic Party needs change. It needs a new generation of leaders who will stand up to Trump,” Booker wrote after the final congressional vote to end the shutdown.

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When asked if these comments were directed at Schumer, Booker said, “I direct these comments to anyone who will listen.”

“Chuck Schumer’s generation, Nancy Pelosi’s generation, John Lewis’ generation. They have a lot to be proud of. But it’s time for new leadership. Other generations, Gen

Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey is interviewed by Fox News Digital at the New Hampshire Policy Institute in Manchester, NH, on November 14, 2025 (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

Booker was interviewed before an event at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. New Hampshire’s two senators, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, were among Democrats who supported the deal with Republicans.

Shaheen, who previously supported a bill to extend ACA subsidies, argued Monday that he was breaking with his party to support the deal.

“We’re making sure that Americans can get the food benefits they need, that air traffic controllers can get paid, that federal employees can come back, that laid off people can get paid, that contractors can get paid, that aviation can move forward,” Shaheen said in a “Fox and Friends” interview.

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Booker, who played Division One football at Stanford University, called for party unity when asked about Democratic senators opposing the party.

“I played football and that game is behind us. Now I want everybody to come back together, clench your jaws, because we have to fight forward, and for me the end zone is very simple. That’s lowering people’s health care costs, lowering people’s grocery costs, lowering people’s energy costs, and creating an America that works for everyone, not just the richest,” Booker said.

Booker, who broke the Senate record with his 25-hour speech targeting President Donald Trump’s second term agenda at the beginning of this year, said, “I believe in this very much, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” he said.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker chairs an event at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on November 14, 2025 in Manchester, NH. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

But he also lamented the growing hostility between Democrats and Republicans, saying “partisanship, as you know, bothers me because it has turned into tribalism.”

While Booker ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, he spent a lot of time and made many friends in New Hampshire, which held the first presidential primary in the country in more than a century.

Booker, who is up for re-election next year in blue-leaning New Jersey, is seen by political experts as a possible candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination in what is expected to be a crowded and competitive race.

“Of course I’m thinking about it. I haven’t ruled it out. But I’m on the ballot in New Jersey on the 26th and that’s my focus,” Booker said.

Following his Fox News interview, Booker headlined the latest news story titled “Stand Up New Hampshire Town Hall.” The series of speeches by New Hampshire Democrats’ top elected officials and party leaders is seen as the first major pitch for potential White House candidates.

And later in the day, he gave the keynote speech at a major fundraising gala for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.

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Booker said next year’s elections, in which Democrats will try to regain majorities in the House and Senate, are “vital.”

“Don’t talk about 28 until you show me where you stand on 26 and who you represent. I’m defending New Jersey. I’m defending America and an America that works for everyone,” Booker stressed.