LOS ANGELES.–iberal Democrat new network CNN predicts that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) days could be numbered as Senate Minority Leader, not to mention only three years left until he’s up for reelection in 2028. Schumer has been accused by Democrat progressives caving in to President Donald Trump most recently on ending the government shutdown. Progressives wanted Schumer to get an ironclad commitment from Senate Republicans that they would extend Obamacare subsidies at least one year before more negotiations can take place. Trump said recently that he doesn’t support Obamacare subsidies to insurance companies only paying subscribers directly in Medical Savings Accounts [MSA]. Trump knows he doesn’t have the time to negotiate any deal on MSA between now an year’s end when disaster strikes 25 million Obmacare subscribers counting on government subsidies.
Progressives blame Schumer but he actually wanted to continue the shutdown before eight moderate Democrats joined Republican in ending the shutdown. Schumer has played hard ball with Trump, agreeing with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to shut down the government Oct. 1 over expiring Obamacare subsidies and the loss in Trump’s Jul 4 Big Beautiful Bill of $1.5 trillion in Medicaid funding. Trump doesn’t comprehend how his administration is on thin ice, especially over heath care. Schumer did everything possible to force Trump and the GOP to extend Obamacare subsidies and restore $1.5 trillion in Medicaid funding. CNN’s Manu Raju, who has his pulse on Democrat politics, says Schumer’s days are numbered when it comes to leading the Senate. Progressives were angry with Schumer when eight moderate Democrats joined the GOP in ending the shutdown.
Talking with CNN’s senior political analyst Dana Bash, Raju said he thinks Schumer’s leadership is in trouble but, also, his 2028 Senate seat. “The overwhelming view among people we spoke with is that they believe his days are numbered. Once way or the other. Ane likely in 2028, whe he’s up for reelection again. Remember at that point, he’ll be roughtly 78-years-old. I believe, when he’s running. So that’s one reason why there’s a belief that he won’t run,” Raju told Dana Bash. But without mentioning a word, the back-story is about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D.Y.) scheming to takeover Schumer’s Senate seat. AOC has hinted a running for president in 2028 but she’s far more likely to use Schumer’s seat as a better stepping stone. Raju thinks Schumer is vulnerable and could be primary-out especially be someone as popular as AOC with young Democrats.
Manu thinks Schumer will announce his retirement after Democrat leadership appoints another Senate Democrat as Minority Leader. “If he were to run in a primary, he could potentially be defeated. So that’s why a lot of people believe he’s an opt to retire. So that’s one problem for him. The other is the dissension within the Senate Democratic Caucus. He, of course, is a Demcratic leader. There’s going to be a secret ballot election that will occur after the November elections,” Manu said. So whatever the situation, AOC’s backer are looking ahead to poach Schumer’s seat at a time that he’s lost popularity in the Democrat Caucus. Jeffries defended Schumer, saying he’s fiercely defended health care, willing to shut down the government to make a point to Republicans. Jeffries doesn’t understand why the progressive caucus wants Schumer out.
All the talk of Schumer not being a fighter is utter rubbish, knowing that he and Jeffries shut down the government to get the GOP’s attention on health care. No one flinched for 43 days, the longest shutdown in history, until eight moderate Democrats thought it was best for the country to reopen. If the shutdown went any longer, the entire air traffic control and transportation security system would have shut down right before the Thanksgiving holiday. Jeffries said it best when he said Schumer fiercely defended Democrats interests. So, the only ones that want Schumer out are progressives that see AOC taking his seat in 2028. AOC is far more likely to win Schumer’s senate seat than to compete for the Democrat presidential nomination even with all of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) backing. AOC has become a mainstream Democrat Party leader.
Schumer has done nothing wrong representing Democrat Party objectives to restore health care funding lost under Trump’s Big Beautiful bill. Schumer was willing to shut down the government to restore health care funding. It’s not his fault that eight moderate Democrats decided to reopen the government. Yet if you talk to CNN’s Manu Raju Democrats want him out. Democrats just don’t want to admit that they want AOC in Schumer’s seat in 2028. Stripping him of his Senate Minority leader status is exactly the wrong thing to do. When it comes to 2028, that’s a different story. Schumer and other party elders must accept that a new generation of Democrat leadership is taking over the party. With socialist Zohran Mamdani winning New York mayor Nov. 4, it signaled more than just a political shift but a generational one in the Democrat Party.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
