Dems Skewer ‘Trainwreck’ Schumer for Caving Over Shutdown

Democrats from across the political spectrum are livid with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer after a group of Senate Democrats caved and reached a deal with Republicans to end the government shutdown.

Schumer, 74, came out against the bipartisan plan and voted against moving it forward in the Senate on Sunday night.

However, eight Democrats joined Republicans in a 60-40 vote to proceed, sparking turmoil within the party.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, pictured leaving the Democratic caucus meeting on November 9, is under fire after a group of eight Senate Democrats caved and reached a deal with Republicans to end the government shutdown even though he voted against moving forward with it. Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

“Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership. If @ChuckSchumer were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare,” wrote Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton, who is challenging Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey in the primary.

He called on Markey to join him in a pledge not to vote for Schumer as Senate leader.

Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz posted an image of Schumer photoshopped into the Amy Schumer movie ‘Trainwreck’ with the caption “Different Schumer, same title.”

“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” wrote progressive Rep. Ro Khanna. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”

He replied that he was a “fan” of Sen. Chris Van Hollen in response to political commentator Krystal Ball’s suggestion that he should become the leader.

Senator Angus King (I) speaks at a press conference with four other Senate Democrats who voted for the government funding bill to end the shutdown on November 9, 2025. Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

Democratic senators have been more tight-lipped about Schumer, but multiple Democratic Senate candidates running in 2026 weighed in, slamming him and calling for him to step aside.

Iowa Democratic Senate hopeful Zach Wahls posted a video accusing Schumer of failing.

“Senator Schumer has not met this moment for my state or for our country, and it is time for him to step down as leader of the Senate Democrats and make way for a new generation of leaders who are willing to fight for what this party believes in,” he said.

Wahls accused Schumer of voting against the deal but giving it his “blessing” in private, and claimed it will be impossible for Democrats to win races with Schumer calling the shots.

“Now we are on a path to watch 15 million Americans possibly lose access to health care insurance in the first place,” said Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, who is running to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins, in a video.

“This happened because Chuck Schumer failed in his job yet again because they do not understand that when we fight we win,” Platner said.

Michigan Senate hopeful Mallory McMorrow also posted a video calling it a bad deal. She did not name Schumer directly in the video but said they needed to do things very differently.

“The old way of doing things is not working. We need new leaders in the Senate,” she said.

Throughout the shutdown, Republicans accused Schumer of fearing a challenge from the left, but his “no” vote has done nothing to combat the current rage from progressives, similar to the anger he faced when he voted with Republicans in March on a spending bill.

The progressive organization Our Revolution called for his resignation in a blistering statement on Monday.

“Chuck Schumer should step down as Senate Minority Leader immediately,” said its executive director, Joseph Geevarghese. “If he secretly backed this surrender and voted ‘no’ to save face, he’s a liar. If he couldn’t keep his caucus in line, he’s inept. Either way, he’s proven incapable of leading the fight to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans. The country can’t afford his failed leadership any longer.”

The progressive organization Indivisible did not name Schumer but called the deal a “surrender.”

“This is the message of a failed, feckless, and leaderless party. We need a party with backbone, and the only path to it is through a cleansing primary season,” wrote its co-founder Ezra Levin on Bluesky in response to an interview with Sen. Angus King, who was a key architect of the agreement.

Schumer spoke on the Senate floor on Sunday about his opposition to the short-term spending bill, acknowledging it was likely to pass without his vote.

“This healthcare crisis is so severe, so urgent, so devastating for families back home, that I cannot in good faith support this CR that fails to address the healthcare crisis,” he said. “But let me be clear, however this vote turns out, this fight will and must continue.”

The agreement reached by some Democratic senators with Republicans includes the guarantee of a Senate vote on health care as Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year.

However, House Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to holding a vote on ACA tax credits as the cost of coverage is set to skyrocket. He did not take questions from reporters during his press appearance on Tuesday.

America is in the midst of a Republican-made health care crisis—a crisis so severe, so urgent, and so devastating for American families that I cannot support a continuing resolution that fails to address it.
I am voting NO. pic.twitter.com/qfiMma6y5D

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 10, 2025

Despite the wrath aimed at Schumer from within the Democratic ranks, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries backed his Senate Democratic counterpart on Tuesday while still blasting the Senate deal.

Asked if Schumer was effective and should keep his job at his press conference, Jeffries responded, “Yes and yes.”

He praised the “valiant fight” from Senate Democrats including Schumer in recent weeks while also vowing House Democrats would continue the fight to address the health care crisis.

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