Chuck Schumer's reign as Senate Democratic leader appears to be in serious jeopardy, and the cracks in his support are becoming impossible to ignore. Several House Democrats have been openly questioning his leadership and calling for him to step down. But now, Cory Booker has become the latest — and the first Senate Democrat — to call for new leadership.
Booker told Fox News Digital on Friday that it's time for a younger generation to take charge. While Booker didn't mention Schumer by name at first, his message was crystal clear.
House Democrats and other party members have been calling for Schumer's removal from his longtime post, though no Senate Democrat had joined those calls — until now. After the shutdown vote, Booker posted that "the Democratic Party needs change. It needs a new generation of leaders to stand up to Trump." When pressed on whether he meant Schumer specifically, Booker didn't back down. "I'm pointing these comments at anybody who will listen to me," he said. "Chuck Schumer's generation, Nancy Pelosi's generation, John Lewis's generation. They have so much to be proud of. It is time, though, for new leadership. The other generations, X, millennials, Z — it's time for us to step up. The stage is waiting for us to lead, not just the party, but the nation right now."
Those are harsh words for a party elder who has served in Congress since 1981. But the numbers back up Booker's assessment.
CNN's latest polling data shows that Schumer is the least popular Democratic Senate leader since records began in 1985. He's actually underwater with his own party nationwide, sitting at minus four points among Democrats. CNN data analyst Harry Enten summed it up bluntly: "He's underwater with Democrats. His own party, he's underwater. He's at minus four points. That makes him the least popular guy for a Dem Senate leader going all the way back since the mid-1980s at least."
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Schumer's historic unpopularity stems from Democrats' obsession with resisting Trump at all costs. Anything viewed as capitulation gets severely punished, and Schumer took a political hit in March for voting to keep the government open. Now he's facing criticism for failing to keep his caucus in line, which is being treated as both a weakness and a justification for new leadership.
Even in his home state of New York, Schumer's position looks shaky. While he maintains a 16-point net favorable rating among New York Democrats, that pales in comparison to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who enjoys a 30-point advantage over him in favorability ratings. If AOC decides to primary Schumer in 2028, the numbers suggest she would be the favorite to win. "If she decides to challenge Chuck Schumer come 2028, she's got a real leg up on the competition. I dare say, at this point, she would be the favorite to beat him," Enten noted. He added that such an outcome would blow his mind, considering Schumer is a "New York born and bred type of guy."
Rumors have already circulated that Schumer might not seek reelection in 2028, though those reports remain unconfirmed speculation at this point. Schumer is now facing calls to resign from party leadership, a potential primary challenge, and rumors of retirement. Make no mistake about it, the walls are closing in on Chuck Schumer, and his time may be running out.
