{"id":75,"date":"2025-11-15T21:03:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T13:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anutool.com\/?p=75"},"modified":"2025-11-15T21:03:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T13:03:07","slug":"democrats-to-aim-shutdown-fury-at-senate-primaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anutool.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/15\/democrats-to-aim-shutdown-fury-at-senate-primaries\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats to aim shutdown fury at Senate primaries"},"content":{"rendered":"

from<\/a><\/p>\n

Democrats to aim shutdown fury at Senate primaries<\/p>\n

he's a lying, cheating, snake in the grass<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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 \u2014 and their money \u2014 to primary races in Maine, Michigan and beyond.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is likely going to be problematic for 2026 Senate candidates who are going to be asked whether or not they\u2019ll vote for Schumer and whether or not they endorse his leadership,\u201d said Rodell Mollineau, a former top aide to the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and a partner at ROKK Strategies.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the voters, it\u2019s the groups,\u201d he continued. \u201cThey\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s becoming very clear who is running as institutionalists and who is running as an anti-institutionalist \u2014 establishment [and] anti-establishment,\u201d one Democratic operative involved in Senate races this cycle. \u201cMy 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].\u201d<\/p>\n

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.).<\/p>\n

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 \u201cdeserve affordable health care \u2014 not just the promise of a vote that won\u2019t go anywhere.\u201d She was referring to the expected vote on a health care subsidies bill next month.<\/p>\n

But Platner went multiple steps further, saying that Democrats failed because of Schumer\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n

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 \u201ca great leader\u201d have only aided that narrative.<\/p>\n

By contrast, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D) called for Schumer to be replaced back in March and reiterated in recent days that \u201cwe got to do things very differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t have any excitement, how are you going to win this? You need to have some juice,\u201d the Democratic operative said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t all have to look like a Bernie Sanders rally \u2014 it shouldn\u2019t, but you can\u2019t be straight up juice-less in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key groups are already indicating plans to proceed as such. MoveOn and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee quickly released statements that it\u2019s time for Schumer to go.<\/p>\n

Indivisible posted on social media in recent days that it is launching the \u201clargest Democratic primary program that we\u2019ve ever run.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will not back any Senate primary candidate unless they call for Schumer to step down as Minority Leader,\u201d the group said.<\/p>\n

The development comes after the massive electoral wins Democrats and progressives saw earlier in the month, which included Zohran Mamdani\u2019s win in the New York City mayoral contest.<\/p>\n

Schumer drew the ire of progressives by not endorsing Mamdani\u2019s campaign \u2014 a decision that has aftershocks from the 2024 race as debates continue on about the need for new blood in the party.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe represents the D.C. old people who promised you that Joe Biden was going to win, and that\u2019s the problem,\u201d the Democratic operative said. \u201cThey\u2019re still mad at that group who came out and said, \u2018Don\u2019t worry about it, we\u2019ve got this. Trump is going to destroy America, but we\u2019re going to beat him.\u2019 And that just wasn\u2019t true.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the recent tumult, there are historical silver linings.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, he remained in power before passing the leadership baton last year.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they have to do that to win the election, I\u2019m all for winning,\u201d Pelosi said in a 2018 interview. \u201cI think many of them are saying we need new leadership. I don\u2019t take offense at that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust win, baby,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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