Democratic Representative Glenn Ivey of Maryland said it may be time for Senate Democrats to pick new leadership, piling on the backlash faced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over his vote on a spending bill last week.

Newsweek reached out to Schumer’s office via email for comment Wednesday.

Why It Matters

Schumer has faced mounting criticism from his own party after voting to back a continuing resolution bill from Republicans that he had previously said Democrats would not support.

The bill to keep the government open narrowly passed the Senate on Friday after passing the House earlier in the week. The minority leader’s flip-flop on the measure has prompted calls from Democrats for him to give up his longtime leadership position.

What To Know

During a Tuesday night town hall, Ivey said, “I was deeply disappointed that Senator Schumer voted with the Republicans. You know you’re on bad ground…when you get a personal tweet from Donald Trump thanking you for your vote, right? We don’t want to be there.”

Ivey continued in part, “I’m afraid that it may be time for the Senate Democrats to pick new leadership as we move forward.” Ivey’s comments sparked loud applause and cheers from the audience.

During his comments, Ivey also praised Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, saying that his stance during the stopgap bill negotiations was right. Jeffries vehemently disagreed with Democrats voting alongside Republicans in favor of the bill.

Schumer warned earlier in the month that Republicans did not have enough Democrats on board to pass the funding resolution, but after backtracking, he faced backlash from key members of his party including Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said senators voting in favor of the bill created a “wide sense of betrayal.”

President Donald Trump threw his support behind the House GOP bill but Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky voiced opposition and ultimately voted “no” on the measure.

Last week, Schumer defended his vote saying that a government shutdown would benefit Trump and Republicans. Schumer said that a potential shutdown would have provided the landscape for billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to potentially fire millions of federal workers, and shutter entire departments.

What People Are Saying

Ivey on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: “Yesterday, I hosted a town hall with over 800 constituents at Suitland HS in Forestville, MD. I heard their outrage, fears, & the need for Democrats to fight back to protect the American people. So where do we start? We must take the House back and hope that the courts continue to do their part.”

Schumer in a post on X last week: “Trump, Musk, and DOGE would use the power of a shutdown to shift into overdrive. And the courts, one of our best places to fight these autocrats, could quickly run out of money. We can’t let this happen.”

What Happens Next

As trust in the Democratic Party is at a record low across numerous polls, it is likely Democratic leaders will try to rally their constituents and garner grassroots support.

It is unclear whether Schumer will face any formal challenges to his leadership.