The Democratic Party erupted into chaos Sunday night after eight Senate Democrats broke ranks and joined Republicans to pass a temporary deal to reopen the government — a move that exposed deep fractures in party leadership and sent liberal activists into meltdown.
The shocking vote came after a record-breaking 40-day shutdown and immediately ignited a firestorm within Democratic circles, from Capitol Hill to cable news studios. Progressive lawmakers accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of surrendering to Donald Trump and failing to protect key Democratic priorities, particularly the extension of Obamacare subsidies.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) led the charge against Schumer, writing on X: “Chuck Schumer is no longer an effective senator and needs to be replaced. If you cannot lead the battle to prevent healthcare costs for Americans from skyrocketing, for what would you fight?”
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) echoed that sentiment, blasting Schumer for failing to unite his caucus. “Tonight’s another example why we need to have new leadership,” Moulton posted. “If @ChuckSchumer was an effective leader he would’ve united his caucus tonight to vote ‘No’ and maintain the healthcare line. Perhaps @EdMarkey is finally going to join me and pledge not to vote Schumer?”
Even daytime TV piled on. *The View* co-host Sunny Hostin tore into Schumer live on air, saying the minority leader “needs to be replaced” and accusing him of “caving to Trump without a fight.” Conservative commentator Eric Daugherty amplified the moment on X, posting a clip from the show with the caption: “The View has been NUKING Chuck Schumer after he caved to Donald Trump over the government shutdown. Chuck Schumer is no longer relevant. He must GO. AMAZING! Let them devour each other.”
In the Senate, the eight defecting Democrats who voted for the deal included Dick Durbin (Ill.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), John Fetterman (Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Tim Kaine (Va.), and Independent Angus King (Maine), who caucuses with Democrats. Schumer himself voted *against* the bill — but not before losing control of his own caucus.
The compromise legislation, which passed late Sunday, temporarily reopens the government without including funding to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies — the central issue Democrats had been fighting for since the shutdown began. That omission enraged the party’s progressive wing, who accused moderates of abandoning millions of Americans facing rising healthcare costs.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) blasted Schumer online for failing to support Democratic Socialist Zohran Mahdani in New York’s mayoral race and then backing a “horrible deal” that, he said, “does not address healthcare.” Pocan fumed: “You can’t screw over an entire national party. What is the profile of this scourge? Next.”
In an attempt to quell the backlash, Schumer insisted late Sunday that he would “keep fighting,” but the damage was already done. His allies admitted privately that his leadership is now “in question.”
Progressive stalwarts including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) openly criticized the compromise. “This bill doesn’t do much to stop the healthcare catastrophe or limit President Trump in any way,” Murphy said. “The voters made it pretty clear what they wanted Congress to do on Tuesday night… I’m really sorry that we didn’t listen to them.”
Democrats who supported the deal claimed they had secured a promise of a future vote to extend ACA tax credits and rehire federal employees who were laid off during the shutdown. But many in the party saw that as empty reassurance.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) dismissed the pledge outright: “A wink, nudge, and nod in the direction of resolving this crisis with health insurance later — without any guarantees — is not sufficient.” Michigan’s Sen. Elissa Slotkin agreed, adding that “the promise of a ballot in more than a month is not enough to meet this threshold.”
Meanwhile, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin issued a scathing statement condemning the votes as a “betrayal of the American public.” Martin blamed Republicans and Trump, saying, “The voters will not forget the day Trump turned away from them to focus on his gilded ballroom.”
The episode underscores a Democratic Party in turmoil — split between an aging leadership that prioritizes compromise and a restless progressive base demanding confrontation. With Schumer’s grip on the caucus loosening and public discontent rising, Sunday’s vote may mark the beginning of a larger leadership reckoning inside the Democratic Party.
