Chuck Schumer has been the Senate Majority Leader since 2021, and it’s safe to say, he’s starting to feel like the party host who realizes people are starting to leave. Schumer, the 73-year-old New Yorker who’s made it his life’s mission to block President Trump at every turn (even cheering on legal efforts to put Trump behind bars), is finally facing reality. With Republicans making significant gains in the Senate, the days of Schumer calling the shots are coming to an end — and he knows it.
In a statement that oozed thinly veiled defeat, Schumer urged the next Senate to focus on “bipartisan legislation.” It’s a classic move: when you’re about to lose power, suddenly you want to play nice and hold hands across the aisle. Here’s what he said:
“As I’ve said time and again, in both the majority and the minority, the only way to get things done in the Senate is through bipartisan legislation while maintaining our principles.”
Translation: We’re about to be in the minority, so please, GOP, don’t steamroll us.
But let’s not forget, this is the same Schumer who just a few months ago was bragging about Democrats’ strong position in the Senate races. Back in August, he was practically gloating, saying:
“Our candidates, whether they be incumbent or not, they’re mainstream people. They’ve always focused on the mainstream… Republicans, meanwhile, have recruited a bunch of out-of-touch billionaires.”
Well, Chuck, it looks like those “out-of-touch billionaires” have something the Democrats didn’t: votes. As of now, Republicans have already flipped two seats, with West Virginia’s Gov. Jim Justice and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno both securing victories. And let’s not forget Pennsylvania’s David McCormick, who’s poised to clinch yet another seat for the GOP. The red wave that Schumer dismissed as fantasy just became his worst nightmare.
Then, as if to salvage some dignity, Schumer praised Kamala Harris for her “inspiring” campaign — despite her losing in a landslide. It’s almost sad at this point. He called her run “historic,” noting her advocacy on issues like affordable housing and lower costs. But here’s the thing: if voters were really inspired by Harris’s vision, they sure had a funny way of showing it at the ballot box.
The bottom line? Schumer’s rhetoric has shifted from “we’re winning big” to “let’s be bipartisan.” He knows the game is up. The Republicans are gaining ground, and Schumer’s grip on power is slipping fast. By the time the dust settles, don’t be surprised if he’s back to being the Senate Minority Leader, left to explain how his “mainstream” candidates were defeated by those supposedly “out-of-touch” Republicans.