Chuck Schumer (D-NY) remains the Senate Democratic leader, but inside his own party, some Democrats are quietly testing whether he could be replaced.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, that process has already begun behind the scenes, with lawmakers conducting informal vote counts to determine whether there is enough support to remove the New York Democrat from his leadership position.
“Some lawmakers had been doing informal counts to see whether enough votes existed to remove the New York Democrat from his leadership position.”
The concern is not limited to individual senators. Meetings among Democratic chiefs of staff have included discussions about how to pressure Schumer to step aside.
“Many said the concern about Schumer’s leadership was widespread… meetings between Democratic chiefs of staff… often veer into… how to pressure him to step aside.”
Senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Tina Smith (D-MN), have all been involved in discussions about Schumer’s leadership, with advisers exploring possible scenarios for a challenge and lawmakers comparing notes on internal support.
A group of progressive senators has also been coordinating more directly, maintaining a “Fight Club” chat where they have discussed how to counter Schumer’s preferred candidates and approach to key races.
The divide centers on disagreements over strategy, particularly disagreements about whether Schumer has favored more centrist candidates in competitive races while sidelining a newer group of challengers pushing for a more aggressive approach.