Democrats to aim shutdown fury at Senate primaries
Democrats to aim shutdown fury at Senate primaries
he's a lying, cheating, snake in the grass
Furious Democrats are set to train their fire far beyond the eight Senate Democrats who cut a deal to end the shutdown, directing their frustration into defeating establishment-leaning candidates in primaries across the country.
None of the eight Senate Democrats who helped Republicans pass the government funding bill this week are up for reelection in 2026. Nor is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is bearing the brunt of Democratic blame despite voting against the measure.
But progressive groups and lawmakers say the way the shutdown ended is yet another sign that the party needs new faces in Washington and are set to take that argument — and their money — to primary races in Maine, Michigan and beyond.
“This is likely going to be problematic for 2026 Senate candidates who are going to be asked whether or not they’ll vote for Schumer and whether or not they endorse his leadership,” said Rodell Mollineau, a former top aide to the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and a partner at ROKK Strategies.
“It’s not the voters, it’s the groups,” he continued. “They’re very upset with Schumer because even though he voted the right way, they believe he had a hand in the agreement to end the shutdown.”
Schumer has been atop the minds of progressives ever since his vote in March to support a GOP continuing resolution, with scores of them losing trust in the New York Democrat.
Now, many of those progressives argue he either had a hand in the agreement or has lost control of his caucus. Those whispers grew after Puck News reported that Schumer urged some 2028 presidential candidates not to pan the agreement.
However, Schumer is not on the ballot again until 2028, with caucus members showing little appetite for a change at the top. And six of the eight Democrats who voted for the deal either just won reelection last year or will never face the voters again.
This heaps pressure on the likes of Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), among others, who are viewed as pro-Schumer candidates in what are expected to be highly contentious primary fights next year.
“It’s becoming very clear who is running as institutionalists and who is running as an anti-institutionalist — establishment [and] anti-establishment,” one Democratic operative involved in Senate races this cycle. “My bet is the establishment feeling candidates are going to have a very hard time next year because every time something big happens, eventually Schumer and the establishment let down the base, and they will get their anger taken out on [them].”
Mills is in the most acute spot of any of these Democrats, as Schumer officially endorsed her last month after she jumped into the primary to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). She is facing a difficult fight against Graham Platner, an oyster farmer who was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
The 77-year old Mills heaped criticism on the deal struck by the likes of Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), saying that voters in her state “deserve affordable health care — not just the promise of a vote that won’t go anywhere.” She was referring to the expected vote on a health care subsidies bill next month.
But Platner went multiple steps further, saying that Democrats failed because of Schumer’s leadership.
In Michigan, Stevens has not been endorsed by the Democratic leader, but is widely viewed as the most establishment-friendly candidate. Comments by Stevens earlier in the year hailing Schumer as “a great leader” have only aided that narrative.
By contrast, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D) called for Schumer to be replaced back in March and reiterated in recent days that “we got to do things very differently.”
Those races are viewed as key test-cases of whether this anti-establishment message can not only be effective, but can drive voters to the polls.
“If you don’t have any excitement, how are you going to win this? You need to have some juice,” the Democratic operative said. “It doesn’t all have to look like a Bernie Sanders rally — it shouldn’t, but you can’t be straight up juice-less in 2026.”
Key groups are already indicating plans to proceed as such. MoveOn and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee quickly released statements that it’s time for Schumer to go.
Indivisible posted on social media in recent days that it is launching the “largest Democratic primary program that we’ve ever run.”
“We will not back any Senate primary candidate unless they call for Schumer to step down as Minority Leader,” the group said.
The development comes after the massive electoral wins Democrats and progressives saw earlier in the month, which included Zohran Mamdani’s win in the New York City mayoral contest.
Schumer drew the ire of progressives by not endorsing Mamdani’s campaign — a decision that has aftershocks from the 2024 race as debates continue on about the need for new blood in the party.
“He represents the D.C. old people who promised you that Joe Biden was going to win, and that’s the problem,” the Democratic operative said. “They’re still mad at that group who came out and said, ‘Don’t worry about it, we’ve got this. Trump is going to destroy America, but we’re going to beat him.’ And that just wasn’t true.”
Despite the recent tumult, there are historical silver linings.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), his longtime counterpart as leader, was often derided by Republican candidates during much of his last decade atop the conference, with many declaring that they would not support him as leader.
Nevertheless, he remained in power before passing the leadership baton last year.
Then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) dealt with a similar dynamic in 2018 Democrats flipped the House. A number of those who emerged victorious had declared that they would not vote for her as leader, but that was more than fine with her.
“If they have to do that to win the election, I’m all for winning,” Pelosi said in a 2018 interview. “I think many of them are saying we need new leadership. I don’t take offense at that.”
“Just win, baby,” she added.