Sen. Chuck Schumer Says He's 'Not Stepping Down' Amid Mounting Pressure From Fellow Democrats

He's remaining defiant as Democratic lawmakers and outside groups pile on calls for him to step aside. But Schumer, who dealt a key blow to former President Biden's reelection bid, argued he's "absolutely" not making the same mistake Biden did when he hesitated to step down. "I did this out of conviction," Schumer said on NBC News' "Meet the Press," about his spending bill vote that angered some Democrats. He added his caucus has "all agreed to respect each other" over their differing opinions. Despite Schumer's public confidence, some House Democrats are urging their colleague Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) behind closed doors to challenge him for his Senate seat in 2028.

Schumer’s move has sparked outrage from some Democrats and progressive activists who protested at his office and called on him to resign his position. They said they’d like to see him face a primary challenge — perhaps from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The uproar prompted Schumer last week to postpone his book tour amid a series of planned progressive demonstrations. Schumer told NBC that the spending bill that funds the government through September was “certainly bad.” But he argued that not voting to provide the funding would have been “15 or 20 times worse.” He called his action “a vote of principle,” arguing that “sometimes when you’re a leader, you have to do things to avoid a real danger that might come down the curve.”

Schumer (D-NY), 74, who has been facing a progressive revolt over his shutdown vote earlier this month, reiterated that he “did this out of conviction” and fired back at detractors such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer told NBC’s “Meet the Press” in a pre-taped interview that aired Sunday. “I did it out of pure conviction as to what a leader should do and what the right thing for America and my party was. People disagree.” Critics, from both the moderate and far-left wings of the party alike, contended that the government shutdown fight was a rare instance when Dems had leverage to extract concessions from Republicans. At noon on Sunday, New York City progressives are set to hold a rally organized by the Big Apple chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America demanding Schumer step down from his leadership post due to his actions in the shutdown fight.