'Untenable': 5 reasons Chuck Schumer may soon be 'headed for the exits'

24 March

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a press conference, following a Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 13, 2024. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is not only losing the confidence of the Democratic base, but of his colleagues. And he may have to defend his leadership in the near future, according to a recent analysis.

The Washington Post's Aaron Blake wrote Monday that the senior U.S. senator from New York is now up against a growing chorus of voices calling for change at the top, and there are several key indicators that he could be forced out of his role. Schumer has insisted he isn't going anywhere, but Blake noted that he shares several traits with other former Congressional leaders who left their positions — both voluntarily and against their will.

First, Schumer has record-low approval ratings. A recent Economist-YouGov poll showed the Senate Democratic leader's approval rating was underwater not just with Republicans and independents, but also with Democrats. While Schumer previously had 57% favorability among Democrats, he now has just 39%. And Democrats' unfavorable opinion of the top Senate Democrat has shot up from 18% to 41% in the wake of Schumer voting with Republicans in the most recent government shutdown fight.

Second, Schumer's unfavorable ratings mirror those of former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), who stepped down from his post after the 2024 election and announced he would not seek reelection in 2026. McConnell was even less popular among Republicans toward the end of his time as Senate GOP leader, and Schumer may be on a similar trajectory if current polling trends continue.

Thirdly, Blake went on to argue Schumer's staying in his role as the Democratic leader in the Senate may be "untenable" given the lack of support from within his own party. A separate YouGov poll from March showed that just 28% of Democrats thought he should stay on as the head of the Senate Democratic Caucus. Blake noted that when former House Speakers Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) faced strong headwinds from within their own ranks, their time with the gavel would soon end just months later.

"[Ryan] did poll in Schumer-esque territory for a spell, but it wasn’t until late in his speakership, and he quickly headed for the exits," he wrote.

Additionally, Blake noted that Schumer's job performance among members of his own party is even lower than the three aforementioned Congressional leaders, and that "even at their lowest ebbs," McCarthy, Pelosi and Ryan "were almost always viewed more positively than negatively by their fellow party members." Finally, the Washington Post journalist remarked that 40% of Democrats in the YouGov poll responded they'd rather see someone else as Senate Democratic leader besides Schumer, though respondents didn't give a specific name. Blake argued that while poll-takers often side with an "ambiguous alternative," Schumer having such low approval from his own party is highly unusual.

Click here to read Blake's analysis in the Post (subscription required).

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