WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Senate Democratic leader says he won't resign his post, despite pressure from some in his party after he voted to move forward with a Republican that avoided a government shutdown.
鈥淟ook, I鈥檓 not stepping down,鈥� Schumer said in an interview with NBC's 鈥淢eet the Press鈥� that aired Sunday. The New York senator said he knew voting for the bill backed by Republican would spark 鈥渁 lot of controversy."
鈥淚 did it out of pure conviction as to what a leader should do and what the right thing for America and my party was,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople disagree.鈥�
Democrats last week were confronted with : allowing passage of a bill they believe gave Trump vast discretion on spending decisions or letting funding lapse. After Schumer said he'd vote to advance the spending measure, 10 Democrats supported breaking the party鈥檚 filibuster and allowing the bill to pass.
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 鈥� perhaps from New York Rep. .
The uproar prompted Schumer last week his amid a series of planned progressive demonstrations.
Schumer isn't up for reelection until 2028. He told NBC that the spending bill that funds the government through September was 鈥渃ertainly bad.鈥�
But he argued that not voting to provide the funding would have been 鈥�15 or 20 times worse.鈥� He called his action 鈥渁 vote of principle," arguing that 鈥渟ometimes when you鈥檙e a leader, you have to do things to avoid a real danger that might come down the curve."
In an interview that also aired Sunday on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week,鈥� Vermont Sen. , an independent who caucuses with Democrats, criticized Schumer and other members of Democratic Senate leadership. But he abruptly ended the interview when asked about Ocasio-Cortez potentially being elected to the Senate.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to talk about stuff,鈥� Sanders said.
Another outspoken progressive, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said on CNN鈥檚 鈥淪tate of the Union" that 鈥淭here is no doubt that there is anger there, and people were very, very disappointed in the Senate.鈥�
Khanna said the anger stemmed from Senate Democrats not seeking concessions for their support of the GOP-backed spending package 鈥� including possible limits on being led on Trump's behalf by billionaire .
Asked if he'd support Ocasio-Cortez challenging Schumer during a 2028 Democratic Senate primary in New York, Khanna said the decision to run was up to the congresswoman.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 talked to her directly," Khanna said.
He added: 鈥淏ut here鈥檚 what I will say: The American people are fed up with the old guard. There needs to be a renewal.鈥�
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This story was first published on March 23, 2025. It was published again on March 24, 2025, to correct Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is an independent who caucuses with Democrats, not a Democrat.
Will Weissert, The Associated Press
