Democrats are calling for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to resign after the shutdown dragged on for weeks before they ultimately caved to Republicans' demands, Newsweek reported. After the longest shutdown in U.S. history, one independent and seven Democrats joined the GOP to end it without the healthcare subsidies Democrats demanded.
The shutdown lasted 40 days and disrupted services such as air traffic control and SNAP food subsidies as both sides blamed the other. The Democrats were looking to extend Affordable Care Act handouts that are set to expire in January, while Republicans opposed more entitlements.
Neither side was budging until some Democrats jumped ship and joined Republicans to reopen the government, with the promise that another vote in December would re-examine the possibility of extending healthcare handouts. This ultimately rendered the shutdown completely useless.
Now, some are looking to Schumer to find out why he didn't know there would be so many defectors to undermine their effort. The deal has been struck, and Democrats subjected their constituents to ongoing closures and benefit denials to ultimately roll over in the end anyway.
As usual in Washington, D.C., there is a long list of people waiting to jump into Schumer's political grave should he be ousted. Some of those poised to take over for him include Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who has been positioning himself to raise his profile within the party.
In April, Booker engaged in a 25-hour filibuster, which broke a Senate record and made headlines. Booker is undoubtedly ambitious, but he might have his sights set even higher, while others, like Amy Klobuchar, seem to be in the sweet spot.
The Minnesota Democrat is chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, which is often a stepping stone to party leadership. She has also been in front of the press during the government shutdown and was pushing for Democrats to hold steady on the fight for healthcare subsidies. Of course, there's always Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who has tried and failed several times to elevate her position.
However, some believe that Sen. Tammy Baldwin may be a strong contender after her powerful speech on sticking to the subsidies. "I am not willing to just go along with this government funding bill that does nothing to address health care costs skyrocketing. That’s why I went to the floor to try to add a one-year extension to the Affordable Care Act tax breaks. This fight is not over," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, with a video of an impassioned speech during the shutdown.
I am not willing to just go along with this government funding bill that does nothing to address health care costs skyrocketing.
That’s why I went to the floor to try to add a one-year extension to the Affordable Care Act tax breaks.
This fight is not over. pic.twitter.com/Qz5ig9BJxT
— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) November 11, 2025
According to The Hill, there is a growing number of Democrats who support leadership change for the 76-year-old. "Squad" member Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts said that it was time for Schumer to vacate the position, as she is mulling her own Senate run.
"I’m very disappointed. I think that we find ourselves in an unprecedented moment, and that unprecedented moment demands new leadership, a different approach. But I am again, very disappointed in the eight Democrats that did not hold the line in keeping with what was the demands of the people in the communities who sent them there," Pressley told Politico.
Similarly, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan also chastized Schumer, especially when it came to his lack of support for Gaza in the war with Israel. During the shutdown, she blamed Schumer for potentially ruining the midterm elections for Democrats in 2026.
"Sen. Schumer has failed to meet this moment and is out of touch with the American people. The Democratic Party needs leaders who fight and deliver for working people. Schumer should step down," Tlaib said in a post to X.
The government shutdown was supposed to hurt Republicans, but it seems to have backfired on Democrats. Since Schumer was the head of it all, he will be the one that they scapegoat. One thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on is that it's about time that the elderly politician steps down anyway.
