CNN analyst Harry Enten has revealed a startling political development: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has become the least popular Democratic Senate leader since 1985. This dramatic decline follows significant backlash from within his own party after several Democrats cut a deal to end the recent government shutdown.
Polling Data Reveals Deep Discontent
During a Tuesday segment, Enten didn't mince words about Schumer's predicament. "I think the word of the day is terrible. Terrible, terrible, terrible, to quote another Charles, Charles Barkley, when it comes to Chuck Schumer," the analyst stated. The criticism stems from recent Pew Research Center data analyzed by FiveThirtyEight, which shows Schumer's net popularity sitting at -4 percentage points among Democrats and those leaning toward the party.
The discontent became public when moderate Democrats agreed to reopen the government without securing an extension on health care subsidies. Although Schumer voted against this deal, the compromise sparked immediate backlash from progressive members of his party.
Internal Party Backlash and Leadership Challenges
Representative Ro Khanna from California declared that Schumer was "no longer effective" as leader, while Massachusetts Representative Seth Moulton similarly called for "new leadership." This internal rebellion highlights the growing tension within Democratic ranks between moderate and progressive factions.
Enten argued that a fundamental reason behind Schumer's poor numbers is that Democratic voters want a fighter who will more aggressively oppose President Donald Trump. Supporting this analysis, CNN/SSRS polling from last month shows that 69% of Democrats and those leaning Democratic believed their congressional representatives did "too little" to oppose the president. This marks a substantial increase from 46% in 2017.
"That, of course, is a big, big, big, huge criticism of Chuck Schumer. And that is why he is underwater," Enten emphasized during his analysis.
Future Political Implications
Despite the current challenges, Schumer has vowed to "keep fighting" ahead of a promised vote on extending the soon-to-expire health care subsidies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, has committed to bringing this vote to the floor.
Looking further ahead, Enten addressed speculation about Schumer potentially facing a challenge for his New York Senate seat in 2028. He highlighted that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez possesses a significant advantage in net favorable ratings among New York Democrats, with a +46 percentage point rating compared to Schumer's +16.
This popularity gap suggests that the current leadership crisis may have long-term consequences for Schumer's political future within an increasingly progressive Democratic party.
