United States Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer said he would not be stepping down from his role as Democratic leader, despite facing backlash from other members of his party.
The backlash came after he voted for a Republican funding bill that would help the Trump administration avoid a government shutdown.
"I knew it was a difficult choice, and I knew I'd get a lot of criticism or my choice, but I felt as a leader I had to do it," Schumer told “The View” hosts.
Schumer also added that a shutdown would be a “devastation like we have never seen”.
"You have two choices: one bad, the other devastating," Schumer said.
"One chops off one of your fingers, the other chops off your arm.”
One of the most scathing attacks came from Representative Glen Ivey who called for Schumer to step down and said he didn’t not meet expectations like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did.
“I respect Chuck Schumer. I think he had a great, long-standing career. He’s done a lot of great things” Ivey said.
“But I’m afraid that it may be time for the Senate Democrats to pick new leadership as we move forward.”
Jeffries and other top House democrats called for Senate Democrats to oppose the bill. Eight Democrats and one independent voted to advance the bill alongside Schumer.
Axios reported that Representative Delia Ramirez also agreed Schumer should step down and retire. Schumer is also being called to step down by grassroots democratic groups Pass the Torch and the liberal group Indivisible.
While Schumer doesn’t run for reelection until 2028, some House Democrats and New York politicos have called upon New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to mount a primary challenge against him.
