Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is now reportedly facing the most serious threat to his political future in years, as a growing chorus of Democrats signal they have lost confidence in his leadership.
According to new reporting from CNN’s Manu Raju, the sentiment among many in the party is stark: “his days are numbered.”
Raju, appearing on CNN’s Inside Politics, told co-host Dana Bash that he and colleague Edward-Isaac Dovere spoke with roughly two dozen Democratic lawmakers. Their conclusion, he said, was unequivocal. The “overwhelming view” among those interviewed is that Schumer is not suited to lead Senate Democrats going forward. According to Raju, many believe the New York senator may choose to retire rather than risk a politically bruising and potentially unsuccessful reelection bid.
“They believe his days are numbered, one way or the other,” Raju said. He noted that Schumer would be 78 when he next appears on the ballot in 2028, a factor contributing to Democrats’ belief he may step aside. More troubling for the veteran lawmaker, Raju reported, is the sense among Democrats that Schumer “has become” vulnerable to being defeated in a primary — a warning sign in a party where incumbent losses are rare.
Raju added that the dissatisfaction extends beyond electoral concerns. There is growing “dissension within the Senate Democratic Caucus,” he said, with more “grumbling about his leadership” than at any point during Schumer’s nine years guiding the party in the chamber.
The timing of the backlash is no coincidence. Schumer is already under fire for the agreement that ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Many Democrats remain furious that the deal excluded an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, a top priority for liberals. To them, the result was yet another instance of Schumer backing down at a pivotal moment.
Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a frequent critic of Democratic leadership, was blunt on NBC’s Meet the Press. Calling the shutdown deal the “final straw,” Khanna argued that Schumer “doesn’t inspire confidence,” is “not bold,” and is “out of touch with the grass roots.” He went further, faulting Schumer for “cheer lead[ing] us into the war in Iraq,” lacking “moral clarity on Gaza,” and failing to show strength on health care negotiations.
Khanna’s criticisms, once considered fringe within the party, are no longer isolated. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts urged Democrats to “stop protecting this establishment status quo,” while Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin said Schumer had negotiated a “terrible” shutdown deal and had “screw[ed] over a national party.” Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania summed up the moment with a striking admission: “no one really knows” who is leading the Democratic Party today.
The rising discontent underscores a broader problem for Democrats: a leadership vacuum at a time when the party faces internal fractures over foreign policy, health care, and the direction of its grassroots base. If Schumer cannot quell the unrest, the growing chorus predicting the end of his leadership may soon become reality.
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