Md. Rep. Glenn Ivey: 'May be time' for Schumer to resign as Senate Democratic leader

Carson Swick, Baltimore Sun on Mar 19, 2025

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U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey of Maryland has become the first Democratic congressman to call on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step aside after the New York Democrat voted last week for a Republican-sponsored continuing resolution and avoid a government shutdown

Ivey spoke about Schumer, who has led the Senate Democratic Caucus since 2017, at a town hall Tuesday night.

“I respect Chuck Schumer. I think he had a great, long-standing career,” said Ivey, who represents Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. “But I’m afraid that it may be time for the Senate Democrats to get a new leader.”

Ivey’s statement marks the farthest an incumbent Democrat has gone in speaking out publicly against Schumer since last week’s vote. Schumer had argued that letting the government shut down would open the floodgates for President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk to pursue further cuts to vital government services.

Senior Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, told reporters Tuesday he “disagrees” with Schumer’s vote but respects the leader’s decision. Junior Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and the Maryland Democratic Party did not respond to requests for comment on Schumer’s political future.

Ivey joined all but one of his Democratic colleagues in voting against the resolution in the House. He praised the party’s current House leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, for being able to “hold the House Democratic Caucus together” to pass major spending bills.

“If we can make sure that we get the right leadership in the Senate to get it done this time and hold them together and vote with the House Democrats, we can actually have an impact,” Ivey said Tuesday.

Ivey doubled down on his comments Wednesday morning, telling Politico the Democrats “can’t afford” a leader who will cave to Republicans during the next government shutdown spending battle. As Trump has signed it, the current continuing resolution will expire at the end of September.

“If he can get himself together and come … get right on this vote, and we get another shot at it, okay,” Ivey said of Schumer. “But if he’s going to do the same thing again when this bill comes up six months from now, we can’t afford that.”

While no other Democrats have called for Schumer to resign as party leader, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed the senator’s unwillingness to drive a harder bargain with Republicans.

“I myself don’t give away anything for nothing. I think that’s what happened the other day,” Pelosi said Tuesday when asked about Schumer’s vote.

For his part, Schumer seemed to recognize that the decision would cost him politically.

“I’m a smart politician. I can read what people want,” Schumer said of his decision, adding that he couldn’t “tolerate” or “live with” what another government shutdown would do to the American people.

Schumer has also gotten some flak for indefinitely postponing a tour promoting his new book, “Antisemitism in America: A Warning.” The tour was scheduled to kick off Monday at Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library, but a library staff member told The Sun that Schumer’s team cited “security reasons” for their decision to cancel the tour.

Liberal activists upset with Schumer’s vote had planned protests at multiple stops on the book tour, which was also scheduled to visit Atlanta; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; San Francisco; and Santa Monica later this week. However, those stops have also been postponed indefinitely.

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