Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is once again under fire from within his own party after a weekend deal to end the longest U.S. government shutdown in history exposed deep divisions among Democrats and angered their progressive base.
The agreement, passed Sunday with the help of eight Democratic senators, allows the government to reopen but leaves unresolved the fate of health insurance subsidies covering 24 million Americans, the central issue that triggered the shutdown.
Schumer himself voted against advancing the measure, but the defection of several members of his caucus ensured its passage, prompting renewed criticism of his leadership.
“Leadership is about changing and adapting when there is real need, and unless we hear that, we will fail to meet the moment,” said first-term Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, one of several Democrats publicly voicing frustration.
Progressives were particularly scathing. The advocacy group Our Revolution called on Schumer to resign, while Representative Ro Khanna of California declared that the 74-year-old New Yorker “is no longer effective and should be replaced.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, blasted the deal as “pathetic,” saying it amounted to “surrender.”
The backlash came just days after Democrats celebrated a string of electoral victories, including governorships in Virginia and New Jersey and the election of a democratic socialist as New York City’s next mayor, highlighting the party’s internal tensions even in moments of success.
In a floor speech Monday, Schumer defended his stance, saying Democrats had succeeded in making healthcare a defining national issue.
“The American people will not forget Donald Trump’s cruelty and heartlessness over the past six weeks,” he said, referring to the shutdown’s effects on millions of Americans.
Some party figures urged Democrats to refocus their ire on Republicans. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon called the vote to end the shutdown “a brutal blow” but added, “The real villain is Trump and congressional Republicans.”
Still, the debate has revived long-standing calls for generational change in the party’s leadership.
After former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped down in 2022 and recently announced her retirement, some Democrats argue that Schumer, not up for re-election until 2028, should also make way for new leadership.
The shutdown showdown centered on efforts to renew Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire on December 31, which Democrats insisted were essential to prevent steep premium hikes.
“Caving on a deal that doesn’t fix healthcare is, and always has been, a giant betrayal of the American people,” said former Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal of Washington.
Among the eight Democrats who voted to reopen the government, six are not up for re-election next year and two, including Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, are retiring.
Durbin said Schumer was “disappointed” by his decision but added, “He was a gentleman about it, though he disagreed with me.”
Even moderates criticized the compromise. New Jersey Governor-elect Mike Sherrill called it “malpractice,” arguing that Democrats had just proven voters wanted “leadership with a backbone.”
While the deal restores federal operations after six weeks of paralysis, it has left Democrats divided over strategy and leadership, and has cast a renewed spotlight on Schumer’s ability to hold his caucus together as the party looks ahead to the 2026 elections.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
