The Democratic revolt against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is expanding heading into the midterm elections.
The Associated Press reported that Democratic candidates across more than a dozen states have publicly opposed his continued leadership of Senate Democrats. This comes amid an internal conflict between the establishment wing of the party and the progressive faction.
The conflict centers on whether the party’s traditional playbook can still deliver results after 2024.
Democratic Senate candidates in at least 13 states have publicly declared they will oppose Schumer’s continued role as the caucus leader, according to the Washington Times.
Graham Platner, a Bernie Sanders-backed insurgent candidate seeking to represent Maine, slammed Schumer after eight Senate Democrats broke ranks to end the government shutdown without winning key concessions.
"This happened because Chuck Schumer failed in his job yet again, because they do not understand that when we fight, we win," Platner said in a video on social media.
Graham Platner to Chuck Schumer: “You need to stop having a problem with the illegal wars we have been starting simply because of the paperwork that wasn’t done properly. You should be against them because they are fundamentally immoral, unethical, and illegal. We should have… pic.twitter.com/1YdnD3Dj1W
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) March 27, 2026
Tucker Favreau, another Democrat running in Maine, told the Times that Schumer “simply lacks the energy to be the voice of angry Americans across the country that are demanding strong action in the face of this regime.”
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow in Michigan also said she wouldn’t support Schumer if Democrats win back the upper chamber in the midterms.
🚨 @JulianaStratton tells me she will NOT support Chuck Schumer as leader if elected to the Senate pic.twitter.com/KHdoNadcmr
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) March 17, 2026
In Michigan, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow has stated she would not support Schumer as caucus leader if Democrats reclaim the majority, according to the AP.
Democratic strategist Lis Smith told The Associated Press that this uprising is rare in Senate politics. She said it is “pretty uncommon for sitting senators to endorse against the Senate leader” and that these candidates “are reading the tea leaves and are getting feedback from the grassroots that they are dissatisfied with Schumer’s performance as leader.”
seems like Schumer et al are setting up another situation where they either fall in line with Platner if he wins or resign themselves to losing. new from @EoinHiggins_ https://t.co/DznbFz4hop
— Katherine Krueger (@kath_krueger) March 17, 2026
Last month Democrats reportedly did an “informal” vote count to determine whether there is enough support to keep Schumer in his leadership role. A progressive faction calling itself the “Fight Club” is leading the charge against the establishment, arguing the Democratic Party needs to take a more pugilistic approach to opposing the Trump administration.
A Gallup poll released in December showed Schumer with a dismal 28 percent approval rating. This is a significant drop from two years ago when his approval rating among Democrats was 76 percent.