Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) once seemed a master of electoral arithmetic, recruiting centrist figures to keep the Democratic Party competitive in tough states. But recent moves suggest the political calculus has shifted—and possibly against him.
Schumer has now endorsed Abdul El-Sayed, a democratic socialist running for Senate in Michigan, despite El-Sayed’s repeated attacks on Schumer and his open refusal to support Schumer for Senate majority leader if Democrats regain the chamber. Instead, El-Sayed backs Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), aiming to push Medicare for All through Congress.
This endorsement follows Schumer’s earlier, begrudging support for Graham Platner in Maine—a candidate he recruited Gov. Janet Mills to replace, because Platner couldn’t win a general election. That move infuriated the party base, which saw betrayal, not strategy. Since then, Schumer has watched his political capital drain.
Socialists Gaining Ground
Analysts say Schumer’s accommodation signals a deeper problem: the socialist wing of the Democratic Party is gaining strength, and it may cost him his own Senate seat in 2028. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) hasn’t yet announced a primary challenge, but the possibility looms. El-Sayed’s ability to win a statewide Democratic primary in Michigan proves that a socialist can beat an establishment favorite outside a safe House district—and New York is far bluer than Michigan.
Schumer has long dismissed concerns about the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), suggesting the group belongs inside the Democratic National Committee simply because not every member agrees on every issue. But the DSA has openly admitted its disdain for the U.S. Constitution, and Schumer and other Democratic leaders respond with a one-size-fits-all defense: the party needs to win elections.
That argument is wearing thin, even among moderates. Former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg said this month, “The Democrat Party’s ‘Big Tent’ is not big enough for establishment moderates. He and other moderates have to go.”
Moderates Under Fire
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is a case in point—a far-left Democrat who supports stronger borders, opposes socialism, and stands with Israel. That’s apparently enough to make him unwelcome in the party’s so-called “big tent.” The hostility toward moderates is growing, and it’s not just about policy; it’s about control.
The question, as some see it, isn’t whether the DSA can be managed once it fully controls the Democratic Party. It’s whether Democrats will ever get the party back at all.
For Schumer, the path forward is unclear. Endorsing a socialist who spurns his leadership may be a desperate attempt to stay relevant—but it could also be a sign he has lost control entirely.
Source: pjmedia.com — https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2026/08/24/schumer-lost-control-of-his-party-and-it-may-cost-him-his-seat-n4956495
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