Schumer is pressured to step aside as Senate Democratic leader after shutdown vote

WASHINGTON— Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York faces assembly pressure He will resign as leader of the Senate Democratic caucus. eight members voted against his wishes On Sunday, we joined with Republicans to end the longest government shutdown in history.

The vote was the latest development in a troubled week for Schumer, 74, who has faced growing calls from within the party to usher in a new generation of leadership after serving as the Senate’s top Democrat for eight years.

The elections held last week revealed a truth. growing progressive movement Schumer’s hometown is where he refused to support longtime senator Zohran Mamdani’s successful bid for mayor of New York City.

On Monday, national progressive organizations called on him to resign and encouraged Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a popular congresswoman in the state, to run for the Senate seat in 2029. lowest approval numbers of any national leader in Washington.

The leadership issues come on the heels of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), the first female speaker of the House, announcing her retirement; It was a decision that drew praise across the political aisle last week, reflecting his shrewd ability to control the sprawling House Democratic caucus during high-stakes voting.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) “Schumer is no longer effective and needs to be replaced.” wrote to x After Sunday night’s vote. “If you can’t lead the fight to keep Americans’ health care premiums from skyrocketing, what are you going to fight for?”

The House’s top Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, told reporters Monday that he strongly disapproves of the deal that emerged in the Senate, where seven Democrats and one independent who caucuses with the party voted to continue government funding.

Democrats in the House and Senate have said for seven weeks that they would not vote on legislation to reopen the government unless they could secure an extension of health insurance subsidies. But the agreement reached in the Senate showed how some Democrats had given up on this final negotiation.

Schumer reiterates disapproval of spending deal in a speech from the ground Monday. He criticized the compromise as a “Republican bill” even though members of his party brokered the agreement.

“Republicans now own this health crisis,” Schumer said. “They knew it was coming. We wanted to fix it, but they said no, so now it’s on their shoulders.”

While Schumer was giving his speech, Jeffries spoke to reporters at a news conference on the other side of the Capitol.

When asked if he thought Schumer remained an effective leader and should remain in his role, Jeffries said:yes and yes.”

When asked to elaborate, Jeffries said, “The overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, waged a courageous fight,” and directed his disapproval at Democrats who voted with Republicans on the bill.

“I’m not going to explain what a bunch of Senate Democrats decided to do,” Jeffries said. “This is their explanation to the American people.”

Now that the effort has returned to the House, Jeffries said Democrats in the House will try to block a deal that does not cover healthcare costs.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday slammed Senate Democrats, who he said were “overthrown.”

After speaking at the Milken Institute Global Investors Symposium The move blunted the momentum his party had after a string of victories last week, Newsom told The Times in São Paulo.

“You can’t start something unless you finish it,” said Newsom, who was heading to the climate summit known as COP30 in Belém, Brazil. “Why did we do this? We could have made this deal in 20 minutes. … Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on in my party.”

Democratic Iowa Senate candidate Zach Wahls said Schumer “failed to lead the party at one of its most critical moments” and called on him to resign. And Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, wrote that an effective leader can keep party members in line.

“Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership,” Moulton said wrote to x.

The eight members who voted to reopen the government — 15 percent of the Senate Democratic caucus — voted directly against Schumer, who voted against the measure.

Wahls suggested that moderate members who voted with Republicans were specifically given Schumer’s blessing to do so.

“The fact that he voted against this deal, but publicly endorsed it privately, is a perfect example of why people no longer trust the Democratic Party,” Wahls said, “and as long as he remains in a leadership role, it will be impossible for anyone to win a majority, whether in Iowa or any other swing state.”

Times staff writers Wilner and Ceballos reported from Washington: And Gutierrez contributed from São Paulo.