Democrats begin calls for Schumer’s ouster after some in his caucus fold on shutdown fight

Democrats are debating whether Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer put up a “valiant fight” for his party or whether he led them to defeat as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history nears its end.

Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, is voting against the shutdown-ending deal, but his failure to prevent others in his caucus from surrendering on Democrats’ health care demands is leading some party members to call for his ouster.

“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Rep. Ro Khanna, California Democrat, said on social media. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop health care premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”

Democrats sought to include an extension of enhanced Obamacare premium subsidies, set to expire at the end of the year, in the latest government funding measure in Congress. Republicans would agree to hold a vote on the issue only after the government is reopened.

Eight Senate Democrats agreed to the Republicans’ offer to hold a vote on the health care subsidies in the second week of December. Other Democrats said the vote is a red herring and Republicans won’t let it pass.

Although he publicly objected, Mr. Schumer was kept informed about the bipartisan talks and likely privately approved of the eight Senate Democrats who broke ranks.

It was the exact number of Democratic votes needed to clear the filibuster that was keeping the government shut down, harming federal workers who missed paychecks, Americans whose flights were delayed because of staffing shortages and millions of low-income families whose food stamp benefits were suspended.

Mr. Schumer and other Democrats who could afford to vote “no” without changing the result said they were worried about the shutdown impacts. However, they expressed concern about the 22 million Americans whose health care premium costs would more than double, on average, when enhanced Obamacare premiums expire this year as scheduled.

Although he did not achieve his desired outcome, Mr. Schumer took a political victory lap of sorts in blaming Republicans for blowing their chance to prevent those cost increases.

“Americans will remember Republican intransigence every time they make a sky-high payment on health insurance,” he said.

Mr. Schumer said the shutdown exposed Republicans’ “warped” priorities and that Republicans “come across as a party preoccupied with ballrooms, Argentina bailouts, and private jets.”

Republicans have said Mr. Schumer’s goal was never to secure a health care victory, but rather to score political points with the left wing of his party to avoid a primary when he is up for reelection in 2028.

Some of Mr. Schumer’s constituents took a sharp leftward turn this month when New York City voters elected democratic socialist Zohan Mamdani as mayor. Mr. Schumer notably did not endorse Mr. Mamdani.

The socialist wing of the party would love for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat, to challenge Mr. Schumer.

First, Mr. Schumer has to earn the vote of his caucus to remain Democratic leader after the 2026 elections.

No Senate Democrats have publicly questioned Mr. Schumer’s handling of this shutdown fight, though some grumbled over his decision to support a Republican spending bill in March without seeking any concessions.

Mr. Schumer was among a small minority of 10 Senate Democrats who voted with Republicans in March. Now, he is part of a majority of 39 Democrats opposing the bipartisan appropriations package to reopen the government over its exclusion of the Obamacare subsidies.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t have a word of defense for his fellow New York Democrat after Mr. Schumer voted for the March spending bill, but he was quick to support him this time.

“The overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have waged a valiant fight over the last seven weeks,” he said.

When asked whether Mr. Schumer is still effective and should remain in his leadership post, Mr. Jeffries said, “Yes and yes.”

More important than his House counterpart’s approval is that of his own caucus. No Senate Democrat has asked Mr. Schumer to step down despite backlash from liberal groups.

Sen. Bernard Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with the Democrats and is easily the most well-known liberal in the Senate, blamed the eight Democrats who took a “very, very bad vote.”

He hasn’t publicly faulted Mr. Schumer, but Our Revolution, the left-wing organization Mr. Sanders founded during his 2016 presidential bid, is calling on Mr. Schumer to step down from leadership “immediately.”

“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,” said Joseph Geevarghese, Our Revolution’s executive director.

“Either way, he’s proven incapable of leading the fight to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans,” he said. “The country can’t afford his failed leadership any longer.”

Justice Democrats, a left-wing group founded by Sanders campaign alumni and associated with launching the careers of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and the “Squad,” said Mr. Schumer let the eight Democrats fold and that he should step down.

“This is absolutely pathetic behavior by the so-called opposition party,” the group said in a fundraising email promising to “clean house in the Democratic Party and support progressive, working class candidates taking on corporate stooges.”

Mr. Khanna, a Sanders ally, was one of several House Democrats suggesting that either Mr. Schumer step down from leadership or his colleagues force him out.

Reps. Mike Levin of California and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said Mr. Schumer failed to meet “this moment.” Mr. Levin echoed comments from Graham Platner, a Democrat running for Senate in Maine, who said, “Chuck Schumer is not built for this moment.”

Mr. Schumer has endorsed Maine Gov. Janet Mills over Mr. Platner in the Democratic primary. Whoever wins will face off against longtime Sen. Susan M. Collins, a Republican, in one of the most-watched Senate races of the 2026 cycle.

Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat running for Senate against incumbent Democratic Sen. Edward J. Markey, also called for new leadership. He said Mr. Schumer should have been able to keep his caucus united and hold the line on health care.

“Maybe now @EdMarkey will finally join me in pledging not to vote for Schumer?” he said on social media.

The comments from the Senate candidates are notable because, if they win their races, they will vote on the Democratic leader in the next Congress. Candidates in both parties who run anti-establishment campaigns don’t always follow through on such threats, or they decline to reveal their private ballots in the leadership election.

Depending on what happens with Senate Democrats’ quest to retake the majority in 2026, liberal groups who are calling for Mr. Schumer’s ouster now over the shutdown surrender could keep up the pressure.

“Either through complicity or incompetence, Chuck Schumer once again proved he cannot provide the type of leadership that young Americans demand,” the Gen Z-led Voters of Tomorrow said. “It is clear he must step down as caucus leader.”

• Kerry Picket contributed to this report.