Is the Democratic Party cracking under pressure, or just showing its true colors during a 41-day government shutdown?
Rep. Ro Khanna, a progressive Democrat from California’s Silicon Valley, has thrown a political grenade at Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, demanding his replacement over a failure to keep the caucus in line.
The Hill reported that Khanna’s frustration boiled over after eight Senate Democrats broke ranks on Sunday to support a House-passed bill to reopen the federal government, defying Schumer’s push against a funding measure lacking enhanced health insurance subsidies.
For 41 days, federal agencies have been shuttered, leaving Americans caught in the crossfire of partisan gridlock. Schumer, alongside House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also of New York, has been hammering the message that Democrats must reject any “clean” funding bill without Affordable Care Act subsidy extensions. It’s a stance that, until recently, held the majority of Senate Democrats together.
But cracks started showing, and on Sunday, they turned into a chasm. Initially, most Senate Democrats stood firm, rejecting the House bill 14 times on the floor, but five more senators joined three others in voting to move forward with reopening the government.
The defectors include Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Tim Kaine of Virginia, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Angus King of Maine, an independent who aligns with Democrats.
Khanna isn’t mincing words about this fracture. “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” he posted on X.
That’s a sharp jab, but let’s unpack it with a conservative lens: Schumer’s inability to corral his team suggests a deeper issue with the progressive agenda—when push comes to shove, even Democrats tire of ideological purity over practical governance.
If healthcare subsidies are the hill to die on, shouldn’t there be a better strategy than a prolonged shutdown? It’s a question worth asking, even if Khanna’s solution feels like a temper tantrum.
Progressive Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin piled on, critiquing Schumer for unrelated missteps, like refusing to endorse or reveal his vote in the New York City mayoral race featuring democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. Pocan’s frustration hints at a broader discontent with Schumer’s leadership style.
The senators who voted for the bill, though, seem less concerned with party loyalty and more with ending the deadlock. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire told reporters, “When I talk to my constituents in New Hampshire, you know what they say to me? They say, ‘Why can’t you all just work together to address the problems that are facing this country?’”
“We put the Senate back on a path to start doing that today, and we’re going to continue to work that way,” Shaheen added. Her words resonate with a common-sense conservatism—voters want results, not endless posturing. Perhaps these eight senators are onto something, even if it means defying the progressive playbook.
Shaheen also noted that after weeks of shutdown, it became clear Republicans wouldn’t budge on adding subsidy language to the funding bill, no matter how long the standoff dragged on. It’s a pragmatic admission, one that undercuts Schumer’s hardline approach.
From a right-of-center view, this whole debacle showcases the folly of inflexible policy demands in a divided government. Democrats like Schumer may think they’re fighting the good fight, but at what cost to everyday Americans waiting for federal services to resume? It’s a fair critique, delivered without venom, but with a raised eyebrow.
Khanna and Pocan’s criticism might play well with the activist base, but it risks alienating moderates who see governance as compromise, not a purity test. The progressive wing’s obsession with ideological wins often ignores the reality of a split Congress.
Looking at this mess, conservatives might find a silver lining in the Democratic disarray. Schumer’s struggle to maintain unity could signal weakness in a party that’s often pushed divisive, big-government solutions. Yet, it’s worth noting that frustration over leadership isn’t unique to one side of the aisle—both parties grapple with internal dissent.
Still, the 41-day shutdown is no laughing matter, and neither is the impact on families and businesses. If eight Senate Democrats are willing to cross Schumer to get things moving, maybe it’s time for a broader rethink of how both parties approach these standoffs.