Hold onto your hats, folks—there’s a storm brewing among Senate Democrats as a progressive lawmaker calls for Sen. Chuck Schumer’s head on a political platter.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, has openly demanded that Senate Democrats ditch Schumer as their leader after a messy vote to reopen the government amid a 41-day shutdown, spotlighting a rift over healthcare subsidies and party unity, The Hill reported.
For 41 days, the federal government has been shuttered, leaving Americans frustrated and lawmakers scrambling.
During this deadlock, Schumer, alongside House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, pushed hard against a House-passed funding bill, arguing it failed to extend critical Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Most Senate Democrats held the line, rejecting the bill 14 times on the Senate floor.
But on Sunday, the dam broke when eight members of the caucus—including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire—voted to move forward with the Republican-backed plan to restart government operations.
Enter Rep. Ro Khanna, a Silicon Valley progressive, who didn’t mince words on social media, blasting Schumer for failing to keep his team together on such a pivotal issue.
“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Khanna declared, adding, “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
That’s a sharp jab, but let’s be real—when a party can’t rally around protecting something as fundamental as healthcare access, it’s no surprise folks are questioning the coach’s playbook.
Khanna isn’t alone in his critique; Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin piled on, pointing to Schumer’s apparent reluctance to back a Democratic mayoral candidate in New York City and his perceived weakness in negotiations.
Such public infighting isn’t just a bad look—it’s a signal that the progressive wing feels sidelined by leadership’s inability to secure wins on policies they hold dear.
After all, if your team is fracturing over a funding bill that ignores enhanced health insurance protections, what’s the point of claiming to champion the little guy?
On the flip side, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen defended the vote to reopen the government, noting that Republicans weren’t budging on adding healthcare subsidies no matter how long the shutdown dragged on.
“When I talk to my constituents in New Hampshire, you know what they say to me? They say, ‘Why can’t you all just work together to address the problems that are facing this country?’” Shaheen remarked.
While her plea for bipartisanship sounds noble, one has to wonder if caving to a bill that sidesteps crucial healthcare support is really the “working together” Americans want—or just a surrender to political gridlock.
