'Leadership failure': Schumer faces revolt as Democrats blast 'cowardice'

Calls are growing within and beyond the Democratic caucus for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to resign, after eight members broke ranks and joined Republicans to reopen the government with a bill that leaves soaring Obamacare subsidies untouched.

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), one of the most outspoken Senate Democrats, explained the reasoning of some on the left who wanted to hold out for a better deal.

“In response to this claim that the ‘strategy didn’t work.’ The people were on our side. We were building momentum to help save our democracy. We could have won – the premium increase notices were just starting. And giving in now will embolden him,” he wrote, referring to President Donald Trump. “Things will likely get worse.”

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) told MSNBC on Monday that the group of eight Senators (seven Democrats and one independent) who voted to fund the government, had kept Minority Leader Schumer apprised of their negotiations with Senate Republicans throughout.

Some critics suggested that Schumer had “quarterbacked” the negotiations, given that several of the eight are retiring and not seeking re-election, or have re-election races several years away. Others said he was “clearly one of the facilitators” of the agreement and had the eight “take the fall.”

There is a Change.org petition with over 45,000 signatures calling for Leader Schumer to step down.

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

He also told political commentator and podcaster Krystal Ball on Monday that Schumer “doesn’t get where the base of this party is,” and is “not even willing to fight to make sure that the ACA subsidies don’t increase.”

U.S. Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL) also called for Schumer to step down.

“I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. We need courageous leaders that put working families at the center of all they do. 8 democrats caving to empty promises is an indefensible leadership failure For the sake of our country, Schumer needs to resign.”

Michigan State Senate Democratic Majority Whip Mallory McMorrow, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, said, “the old way of doing things is clearly not working. We need new leaders in the Senate.”

Zach Wahls a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Iowa wrote that Leader Schumer “has failed to lead this party in one of its most critical moments, and Americans will pay the price. It’s time for him to step down from leadership and make way for a new generation willing to fight for the people instead of the powerful.”

Melanie D’Arrigo, executive director of the Campaign for New York Health, called Schumer’s actions “political cowardice and negligence.”

“You can’t be an opposition leader if you continually bail out the opposition,” she noted.

Calling it called it “Schumer’s surrender,” Lincoln Project founder Steve Schmidt added, “While the government shutdown is finally over, the lack of Democratic leadership from Chuck Schumer led the party to ultimately give in to GOP demands.”

Democratic strategist Max Burns said if U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were to mount a challenge for Schumer’s Senate seat, it would be “like one of the biggest no-brainers in recent political memory.”