Tipsheet

Is Chuck Schumer Calling It Quits in 2028?

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  November 13, 2025 9:30 PM

Is it over for Cryin’ Chuck Schumer? The New York liberal just got shellacked, as eight members of his caucus defied him and joined Republicans to reopen the government. The deal was everything that’s been on the table since mid-October. Democrats got nothing. As in March, Democrats had no serious message, no strategy, and no endgame. It was a circus. The smoke signals behind the internal rebellion that led to the end of the longest, stupidest government shutdown were clear: get lost, Chuck.

Two massive showdowns on spending, and Chuck lost both. His fundraising is abysmal; you'll have to dig through 50 feet of crap to find Schumer’s approval numbers among Democrats, and he seems to have no allies anywhere. His party is expecting him not to run in 2028. There are plenty of tea leaves to suggest this, too. On his Left flank, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) seems to be waiting in the tall grass to launch a primary challenge (via NY Post): 

Firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sidestepped a question about whether Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer should step aside after Dems caved in the government shutdown fight, amid buzz of her eyeing a 2028 primary against him. 

The Queens and Bronx congresswoman faulted Senate Democrats overall and blasted the eight who let Republicans wrangle a bill through the upper chamber to end the record-breaking government shutdown. 

“I think what is so important for folks to understand is that this problem is bigger than one person, and it actually is bigger than the minority leader in the Senate,” Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), 36, told reporters Wednesday when asked if Senate Democrats should chuck Schumer (D-NY), 74, as their leader. 

“You had eight Senate Democrats who coordinated their own votes on this,” she continued. “A leader is a reflection of the party, and Senate Democrats have selected their leadership to represent them. And so the question needs to be bigger than just one person.” 

We’ll see. At the very least, I don’t think Schumer hangs on as leader. And if that’s the case, why even hang around, given his time in public life? It’s the clearest ‘end of the road’ sign should that happen.