By The American Tribune | Created at 2025-03-22 09:53:04 | Updated at 2025-04-05 13:10:51
2 weeks ago
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is in a challenging position as he scrambles to organize a coalition capable of challenging Donald Trump in the 2026 midterms. His precarious situation has been worsened by several vulnerable Democratic senators retiring instead of seeking reelection. For example, Jeanne Shaheen, a Democratic Senator from New Hampshire, announced on March 12, 2025, that she would be stepping down.
For background, Shaheen was vital to improving the Democrat’s position within the Senate. While Republicans control the Senate, they do so by a small number of seats. Trump narrowly lost New Hampshire in 2024 and significantly improved his margin of defeat. The President and his policies are popular, and it is possible that the state will turn red in the next midterms, particularly after the incumbent senator dropped out. Other Democratic senators, such as freshman Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), are also vulnerable to losing their seats, which could push the Senate even deeper into Republican control.
In a recent article addressing the dire position of Senate Democrats, CNN spoke to several Washington insiders. Alan Kessler, a veteran Democratic fundraiser, talked about how demoralizing Trump’s epic victory was for the left. He said, “These are really tough and challenging times,” and described a “feeling of despair and hopelessness that exists.”
As the Democrats crumble, internal DNC advisors blame Schumer for the chaos. One anonymous source said the minority leader“still lives in the 20th Century media environment with his little flip phone. It’s time to really step up and do some different things.”
The same source said donors are pulling back from senatorial races to favor local seats, leaving Democrats severely underfunded. The same advisor said, “My folks are all in on governors, all in on state legislative candidates. That’s the only place where we can actually push back and where the power is. They are just not seeing leadership at the federal level.”
Senator Shaheen announced her retirement in the face of a mounting red wave in the Senate. She began, “I ran for public office to make a difference for the people of New Hampshire. That purpose has never and will never change. But today, after careful consideration, I’m announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek reelection to the Senate in 2026.”
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While she said she wasn’t seeking an elected position, the Democrat says she will continue working as a woke activist. She said, “And while I’m not seeking reelection, believe me, I am not retiring. I am determined to work every day over the next two years and beyond to continue to try and make a difference for the people of New Hampshire in this country. I hope you’ll join me in that effort.”
She concluded her retirement by theatrically congratulating herself on her career in public service. She stated, ” From the bottom of my heart. Thank you, New Hampshire. Listening to your stories, being your champion, and working with you on the tough fights has been the honor of a lifetime, and we’ll keep at it.”
Featured image from embedded video
