WASHINGTON–Even Chuck Schumer couldn’t believe it.
“We’re a big tent party,” Schumer said, noting that Democratic candidates across the spectrum all shared remarkably similar messages focused on reducing costs. “You talk about it differently in Maine than you talk about it in Kansas, but it was all the same message,” he said. “And we will be united as a caucus focusing on those issues.”
Schumer was cast by progressive critics as too old-school and out of touch with voters consumed with anger at President Trump. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) was GOP leader. One question is whether the two parts of the Democratic coalition can find a durable accord. Political fights loom ahead—including on funding the government, restoring healthcare subsidies and possible impeachments—all of which could strain Democrats’ unity. Also, some of his newly elected colleagues have made it clear they aren’t fans of Schumer as leader.
Last spring, progressives and activists had bombarded the 75-year-old New York Democrat with calls to resign and primary threats after he voted with a small group of other senators who caucus with Democrats to keep the government open. Democrats will have at least 54 seats in the next Senate, with Alaska and Mississippi still too close to call. “Just the Senate losses alone will be with us through 2032, if not longer. Schumer put about $70 million into El-Sayed’s race via a super PAC aligned with him.
The backlash was so profound that Schumer had to postpone a planned book tour due to security concerns.
Now, after two risky government shutdowns and—as Schumer put it—“against all odds,” he made clear he expects to be re-elected as Senate Democrats’ leader in the next Congress, this time in the majority. “You can’t deny this is an historic and catastrophic loss for the Republican Party that will take years to dig out of,” said Steven Law, who helped build Republican Senate majorities at the helm of the Senate Leadership Fund super PAC when Sen. It “was like a shotgun marriage,” said Democratic strategist Rebecca Katz, who advised the campaign of Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed—the Democrat who defeated a Schumer-picked primary candidate. But in the end, both parts of the party “understood the assignment” of flipping the Senate, she said. Now, Katz said, speaking about Schumer and Senate Democratic leadership, “my hope is that they will think a little differently about what is possible.”
El-Sayed, along with Sens.-elect Juliana Stratton of Illinois and Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota, have also said that they won’t back Schumer. Sen.-elect Troy Jackson of Maine affirmed that position this week. And Sen.
Some newly elected Democrats have said they don’t plan to vote for Schumer as leader. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) said the caucus needs to have a “robust discussion” about Democrats’ goals and how to achieve them before committing to anyone as leader.
