Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Sunday suggested that fellow Democrats seek someone other than Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer to lead the party.
Mr. Schumer of New York has been taking heat from Democrats in both chambers since he declared last week that he would vote to advance the Republicans’ spending bill. The move allowed vulnerable Senate Democrats to do likewise, caving to GOP wishes.
“I think Senate Democrats have to sit down and take a look and decide whether or not Chuck Schumer is the one to lead in this moment,” Ms. Crockett, Texas Democrat, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“I can tell you that there are a lot of people that are watching his leadership in this moment. This is the moment we don’t even know what elections will look like in four years — if we will even have elections,” she said. “So I definitely think that younger, fresher leadership may be something that many of us, not just depending on what part of the spectrum you’re on, but many Americans may be looking for, especially in the state of New York.”
Democratic lawmakers, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, were incensed over Mr. Schumer’s capitulation. They had wanted him to continue to oppose the Republican spending bill ahead of a Friday midnight deadline for a government shutdown.
Under a shutdown, the administration determines which “essential” services and agencies remain active.
Mr. Schumer decided that giving President Trump that power was “a far worse option” than the GOP stopgap spending bill.
“A shutdown would give Donald Trump and Elon Musk carte blanche to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can right now,” the Senate leader said, noting that federal workers would be furloughed with no promise of being rehired.
Mr. Schumer also argued that a shutdown could stall federal court cases that Democratic groups are pursuing against the Department of Government Efficiency, which he called one of the best options for fighting back against the president’s lawlessness.
“And make no mistake, Democrats will continue to fight what Donald Trump is doing,” he said.
Ten Senate Democrats ultimately joined most Republicans to advance the GOP funding bill, 62-38. More than an hour later the final bill passed 54-46 largely along party lines. Mr. Trump signed the legislation Saturday.
Republicans control the Senate 53-47 needed Democratic help to clear the 60-vote threshold to bypass a filibuster.
