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Last month, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer rebuffed criticism of his handling of the government spending bill, arguing that averting a shutdown by backing the Republican-led legislation was the best option in an overall terrible situation. “I knew it was a difficult choice and I knew I’d get a lot of criticism for my choice. But I felt as a leader I had to do it,” he said at the time.
But discontent around Democratic Party leadership has only grown as the Trump administration continues to implement its agenda unabated with a recent survey suggesting that there are some voters who are ready to turn the page to a new generation of leaders.
A new Data for Progress poll found Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez leading Schumer by double digits in a hypothetical 2028 Senate matchup with the congresswoman receiving 55 percent of the vote to 36 percent for the veteran leader. Nine percent of respondents said they weren’t sure.
The progressive polling firm also found Schumer with the lowest favorability of the New York Democrats and party leaders tested, receiving a net favorable rating of +26 compared to Senator Bernie Sanders’s +69 rating as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris who received a +63 rating. The poll, which was first reported by Politico, surveyed 767 likely New York Democratic primary voters from March 26-31.
CNN reported in March that some of Ocasio-Cortez’s House colleagues were urging her to primary Schumer following the intra-party debate on the stopgap spending bill. But with 2028 several years away, it’s not clear that the congresswoman has any aims to pursue the Senate. Her name was similarly floated as a possible challenger to New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand in 2024, but Ocasio-Cortez opted instead to run for reelection and glided to victory.
In an interview voicing her opposition for the bill, Ocasio-Cortez didn’t directly answer a question about possibly challenging Schumer and instead emphasized the need for the Senate to stand firm on that issue. “The strength of our leadership in this moment is going to demonstrate the strength of our caucus,” she said last month.
Schumer downplayed the possibility of a primary challenge in a March interview with the New York Times, suggesting it was too early to entertain the thought. “That’s a long time away. I am focused on bringing Trump’s numbers down, his popularity down, exposing what he has done to America and what he will do. That’s my focus right now,” he said.
