House Democrats have been furious with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) since he announced last week that he would support a GOP government funding bill. So furious, in fact, that Schumer had to cancel his book tour “due to security reasons.” As Matt explains, “the progressive left has painted a target on his back, with Nancy Pelosi serving as a spotter.” But it’s not just Hill Democrats voicing their opposition to the Senate minority leader. One prominent Democrat was so incensed she announced on live television that she was leaving the Democratic Party over it.
Symone Sanders Townsend, who previously served as press secretary for Sen. Bernie Sanders and senior adviser to former President Joe Biden and then VP Kamala Harris, stunned her MSNBC colleagues when she made the announcement over the weekend.
“There’s actually little that the Senate minority leader can say, and the 10 Democrats that voted with the Republicans can say, to appease somebody like me,” she said.
“I’m about to change my registration to independent, first and foremost,” Townsend continued. “I’m pissed.”
While she praised House Dems for sticking together, she argued Senate Democrats "blew it."
“In 2024, Democrats ran on warnings that Trump was going to destroy democracy, and now that he and his team are very much in the process of doing just that, these same politicians are questioning whether or not to stand up to him and his party at one of the first opportunities they have to meaningfully do so,” Townsend said. “The only opportunity, I would add, there’s not another option for Senate or Democratic or Senate Democrats or House Democrats to effectively push back. This was it! They blew it!”
MSNBC host Symone Sanders Townsend left her panel speechless after declaring live on air that she will leave the Democratic Party to become an Independent. pic.twitter.com/CRfMWKJaMG
— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) March 17, 2025
"The Democratic Tea Party was born the same day that Chuck Schumer took to that podium to read that very well-crafted statement that told us he folded like a paper napkin," she added.
