Under-fire Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer may ultimately step down from his leadership position of his own accord rather than be forced out by Democrats, an expert has said.
Newsweek has contacted Schumer’s office for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Schumer has faced continuing criticism from his own party for helping pass a Republican government funding bill that House Democrats nearly unanimously rejected.
The New York senator once again rejected calls for him to leave his leadership role, telling NBC‘s Meet the Press on Sunday, “I’m not stepping down.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on March 14, 2025, in Washington D.C.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
What To Know
Danielle Vinson, a professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University in South Carolina, told Newsweek that Schumer may be looking for a “graceful exit” before his current term ends in January 2029, but is unlikely to be “tossed out” as Senate leader.
Schumer has faced calls to step down after he—along with eight Senate Democrats and independent Senator Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the party—voted on March 14 to support a President Donald Trump-backed stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
There have also been calls for New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to mount a primary challenge against Schumer, who is not up for reelection until 2028.
Ocasio-Cortez, who is nearly 40 years younger than Schumer, has often been cited as part of a younger generation of Democrats who should lead the party moving forward in the wake of the crushing 2024 election defeats.
Vinson said that the 74-year-old Schumer may be aware of the growing calls for fresh faces to lead the party and that demands for him to step down may intensify.
The 2026 midterms may also mean Schumer is “encouraged and challenged” to step down, depending on the results.
Colorado Democratic Senator Michael Bennet said, “It’s important that people know when it’s time to go,” when asked about Schumer at a town hall in the town of Golden on March 17.
Representative Glenn Ivey of Maryland said on March 16 that it “may be time” for new Senate leadership after Schumer voted in support of the continuing resolution, which House Democrats nearly unanimously rejected.
On Sunday, California Representative Ro Khanna told CNN that people are “fed up with the old guard,” adding, “When a company isn’t doing well, you don’t keep the same team.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seen as playing a key role in pressuring former President Joe Biden to end his 2024 election campaign, has also criticized Schumer’s negotiation tactics.
She told a March 16 press conference that she does not “give away anything for nothing” and said Democratic senators should have pushed for alternatives rather than backing the GOP’s bill to avoid a government shutdown.
Christopher Borick, a professor of political science and director of the polling organization at the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion in Pennsylvania, told Newsweek that criticisms from the still-influential Pelosi highlight Schumer’s “diminished standing.” However, he said he would not underestimate Schumer’s “ability to survive.”
Schumer again defended his vote for the GOP’s continuing resolution during his appearance on Meet the Press. He said a government shutdown would have been “15 or 20 times worse” for the American people and would have allowed Trump and Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency to carry out more drastic cuts.
Schumer added that he is not making the same mistake as Biden by not stepping down amid pressure to do so. The former president initially refused to end his reelection bid following a poor CNN presidential debate performance, but eventually dropped out and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
“No, absolutely not. I did this out of conviction,” Schumer said, adding that Democrats are still united in “fighting Donald Trump every step of the way.”
What People Are Saying
Danielle Vinson, professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University, told Newsweek: “I don’t expect Schumer to be tossed out as leader just yet. Democrats tend to be more orderly than Republicans in replacing their leadership, and Schumer did provide protection for some senators who didn’t want the shutdown.
“But given his age and the large number of younger senators who have been waiting a long time to take over, I would expect that he will be thinking about how to make a graceful exit—sort of like Pelosi did when her own members, despite her effectiveness, were demanding younger leadership.
“It will likely be up to him whether to stay in the position through the next election. I would expect that we will see more involvement of younger Democratic senators in the messaging as the year goes on.”
Christopher Borick, professor of political science and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, told Newsweek: “Certainly Schumer’s leadership is showing lots of wear and tear, and Pelosi’s negative critique of his decision on the continuing resolution highlights his diminished standing.
“The Democratic brand is in a terrible place, and finger-pointing is increasingly directed at party leaders in Washington. Schumer is an easy target. I think there is a growing desire among Democrats to see a change in Senate leadership, but I wouldn’t underestimate Schumer’s ability to survive.
“Mitch McConnell serves as a good example of a leader who could survive a damaged party brand and internal dissent by positioning himself in a way that makes a leadership change less palatable to caucus members.”
Chuck Schumer told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday: “Look, I’m not stepping down. I knew when I cast my vote against the government shutdown that there’d be a lot of controversy—and there was. But let me tell you and your audience why I did it. The CR [continuing resolution] was certainly bad, but a shutdown would be 15 or 20 times worse.
“The courts have ruled it’s solely up to the executive what to shut down. With Musk and Trump, they would eviscerate the federal government. On day two, they could say SNAP, feeding hungry children? Not essential. On day four, mass transit, oil, aid to the states—not essential. We’re cutting it. On day six, Medicaid—they’ll cut that by 20, 30, 50, 80 percent. They’ll go after Social Security, they’ll go after veterans.
“When you’re a leader, you have to act to avoid a real danger that might come down the curve, and I did it with pure conviction—doing what a leader should do and what was right for America and my party.”
What Happens Next
Schumer could still decide not to seek reelection for another term in 2028, which would also signal an end to his Senate leadership position.
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