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| AOC: Mobilizing the troops against Schumer (Getty) |
Democrats are seething after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced he would vote with Republicans to help them avoid a government shutdown that could take effect at midnight. Some Dems are so mad they are encouraging Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Ortez (AOC, D-NY) to run against Schumer when he's up for re-election in 2008. In the meantime, AOC is trying to mobilize against siding with Republicans as they struggle to pass their own budget bill, even though they hold majorities in both houses of Congress. In essence, AOC's message is this: "Don't help Republicans when they are down. Let them figure it out themselves, without help from us."
Are Democrats finally ready to stand up to Trump, Musk, and their allies in Congress? That seems to be the primary question at the heart of the matter -- and the answer appears to be a resounding yes, according to a report from The New Republic (TNR). Under the headline "Democrats Push AOC to Take Schumer’s Seat After Shutdown Surrender; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has managed to do the impossible: unite almost the entire left (against him), Hafiz Rashid writes:
Senator Chuck Schumer’s decision Thursday to vote for the House GOP funding bill seems to have been the final straw for House Democrats—many of whom are now urging Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to mount a primary challenge against the Senate minority leader.
The New York congresswoman is in Leesburg, Virginia, with her Democratic colleagues for a policy retreat, and has been urging Senate counterparts to fight against the GOP continuing resolution (CR).
“I think there is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters, saying she and other House Democrats are “texting, calling, sending carrier pigeons” to get the Democratic base to rally against Schumer’s plan to support the Republican bill.
“We have time to correct course on this decision. Senate Democrats can vote no. We can correct course, and that is the most important thing in front of us right now,” added Ocasio-Cortez, calling out Democratic senators for deciding to “completely roll over and give up on protecting the Constitution.”
Privately, House Democrats, angry with Schumer, are telling her that she should run against Schumer when he is up for re-election in 2028, CNN reports, citing an unnamed member of Congress. Several Democrats in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, as well as others encouraged Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday night to primary the minority leader.
Schumer seems to have lit a fire under Democrats, although he probably did not think they would come after him. The big news might be this: Schumer is showing weakness at a time when Democrats want him to show strength. The party's base appears tired of leaders who approach conflict with an "I'll roll over if you rub my belly approach" when their constituents are ready to fight. Is Schumer misreading his own party? That appears to be the case. Rashid writes:
According to the unnamed representative, even centrist Democrats were “so mad” that they were “ready to write checks for AOC for Senate.” Ocasio-Cortez declined to comment on challenging Schumer, saying she was focused on getting Democrats in the Senate to vote no. She noted that all but one House Democrat opposed the GOP bill, unlike in the Senate.
“There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territory in the United States who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people, in order to defend Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Just to see Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing to Elon Musk, I think is a huge slap in the face. And I think there is a wide sense of betrayal if things proceed as currently planned.”
Ocasio-Cortez has been vocal and effective in criticizing President Trump and Elon Musk, calling out everything from Trump’s attempt to deport activist Mahmoud Khalil to the president’s lies about January’s deadly D.C. plane crash. While 2028 is still three years away, the New York congresswoman is visibly fighting against the Trump and Republican agenda, and drawing support from unusual places.