“I think it’s important that we understand that this is not just about Sen. Schumer, but that this is about the Democratic Party,” she told CNN‘s Manu Raju. “Sen. Schumer—there’s no one vote that ended this shutdown. We are talking about a coordinated effort of eight senators, with the knowledge of Leader Schumer, voting to break with the entire Democratic Party in exchange for nothing.”
Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Dick Durbin of Illinois, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, along with Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats, joined Republicans for both the procedural and final votes.
Unlike the upper chamber, Republicans have enough members in the House to advance legislation without Democratic support. The GOP’s continuing resolution neither reverses Medicaid cuts from the budget package that President Donald Trump signed in July nor extends expiring tax credits for people who buy health insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
“And now people’s healthcare costs are going to be skyrocketing, and we want to make sure that we have a path to ending this moment, and finding relief for them right now,” Ocasio-Cortez told CNN. “But I think that when we talk about this debate about the Democratic Party, that it is indeed about the party writ large, and our ability to fight or not.”
While no senators in the caucus have demanded that Schumer step aside yet, The Hill on Wednesday compiled comments from the growing list of House Democrats who have called for new leadership: Reps. Glenn Ivey (Md.), Ro Khanna (Calif.), Mike Levin (Calif.), Seth Moulton (Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Mark Pocan (Wis.), Delia Ramirez (Ill.), Shri Thanedar (Mich.), and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.).
In a video circulated by C-SPAN on Wednesday, a reporter directly asked Ocasio-Cortez whether Schumer should stay in his leadership role. The progressive congresswoman’s response was similar to her remarks to CNN.
“I think what is so important for folks to understand is that this problem is bigger than one person, and it actually is bigger than the minority leader in the Senate,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “You had eight Senate Democrats who coordinated... their own votes on this.”
She also noted that two are retiring—Durbin and Shaheen—and the rest aren’t up for reelection next year, thanks to the Senate’s revolving cycles. Cortez Masto, Hassan, and Fetterman have until 2028, while Kaine, King, and Rosen have until 2030. She suggested that those who run for another term are hoping that “people are going to forget this moment.”
“I think what’s important is that we understand that... a leader is a reflection of the party. And Senate Democrats have selected their leadership to represent them,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “And so, the question needs to be bigger than just one person. We have several Senate primaries this cycle.”
“I know I’m being asked about New York. That is years from now. I have to remind my own constituents,” she continued, directing attention to the 2026 races. “We actually do have Senate elections this year, and my hope is that people across this country actually participate in their primary elections in selecting their leadership.”
