Can Chuck Schumer hang on?

Are the Democrats on the verge of their own Tea Party? This question is dogging the Democratic Party, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer figures out how to handle an increasingly rambunctious base that declared open season on him this week.

Months of frustration from the Democrats’ activists has boiled over after Schumer announced that he would vote to move forward with a bipartisan plan to avoid an imminent government shutdown. Schumer’s ultimate vote against passing the bill is of no consolation to Democrats, many of whom reportedly urged Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to primary Schumer.

The Democrats’ problems stemmed from their underestimation of Speaker Mike Johnson, as Schumer told the Washington Post. “We had hoped that maybe Johnson couldn’t get the votes,” he said. “But when he did…it put us in a very, very tough place.” Democrats have repeatedly underestimated the Louisiana Republican, who ultimately kept all but one Republican on board – and even got Democratic Congressman Jared Golden to side with the House GOP majority in sending a bill over to the Senate.

At that point Schumer had to choose between the “Schumer Shutdown,” which many of his fellow Senate Democrats suggested they had no problem with, or siding with virtually every Republican and keeping the government running. A government shutdown would have added fuel to Donald Trump’s claims that many government employees are unnecessary, which would have undercut the Democrats’ arguments against his Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE). Schumer ultimately prevailed upon more than enough Senate Democrats to move the measure forward. 

Democratic Senator John Fetterman was the only one who sounded somewhat eager to take his medicine, although he reiterated that his vote to advance the bill was not an endorsement of its contents. “My YES vote is *not* an endorsement of this deeply flawed [continuing resolution],” he wrote. “My YES vote is 💯 about refusing to shut our government down. I refuse to punish working families and plunge millions of Americans into chaos. I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever vote to shut our government down.”

The irony of Senate Democrats invoking the filibuster, which many had decried as a racist when Republicans utilized it, was not lost on many. Top Republicans in both the Senate and in Trumpworld told The Spectator before the vote that their ideal outcome was no shutdown. The drama that ensued could only have come out of right-wing fever dreams.

Trump himself took a hiatus from slurring Schumer as a “Palestinian” and praised the “guts” it took for Schumer to do “the right thing” — praise that will surely fuel the Democrats’ brewing civil war. 

Schumer’s willingness to advance one of the top priorities of both Trump and Elon Musk caused a rare rebuke from his ostensible allies across the Hill. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Schumer’s fellow New York Democrat in leadership, replied “next question” when asked if Schumer should stay as leader, and at least one Senate Democrat is reportedly mulling whether Schumer should remain atop the Democrats’ leadership.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opposed Schumer’s measures in gendered terms, arguing that Senate Democrats “should listen to women” like Senator Patty Murray and Congresswoman/fashion icon Rosa DeLauro, both of whom argued for a four-week funding extension. “Democrats must not buy into this false choice,” Pelosi argued. We must fight back for a better way.”

For now, however, the fight is over. But the problems Democrats face may only be getting started. “If Democrats won’t act like an opposition party, we will,” the far-left Working Families Party said following the vote. 

Julius Caesar was famously struck down by Roman senators on the Ides of March; fortunately for Schumer, the fateful vote occurred the day before in his case, and the wily New Yorker lives to fight another day.