The Hill, today, publishes online, "
Burn pit fund for veterans on chopping block in GOP spending bill
by Ellen Mitchell - 03/14/25 9:54 AM ET
Privately, House Democrats are so infuriated with Schumer’s decision that some have begun encouraging her to run against Schumer in a primary, according to a Democratic member who directly spoke with Ocasio-Cortez about running at the caucus’ policy retreat. Multiple Democrats in the Congressional Progressive Caucus and others directly encouraged Ocasio-Cortez to run on Thursday night after Schumer’s announcement, this member said.
The member said that Democrats in Leesburg were “so mad” that even centrist Democrats were “ready to write checks for AOC for Senate,” adding that they have “never seen people so mad.”
Asked by CNN about fellow Democrats encouraging her to challenge Schumer, Ocasio-Cortez declined to answer and said she was focused on keeping Democrats from backing the funding bill: “We still have an opportunity to correct course here, and that is my number one priority.”
But speaking to reporters, Ocasio-Cortez did not hold back on her criticism of Senate Democrats for backing out of a vote that all but one battleground House Democrat was willing to take.
“There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territory in the United States who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people, in order to defend Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare,” she said. “Just to see Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing to Elon Musk, I think is a huge slap in the face. And I think there is a wide sense of betrayal if things proceed as currently planned.”
That last paragraph is major. House solidarity may have cost some political capital in toss-up districts Dems hold, but solidarity held. Now, a stab in the back.
Or so it seems. A primary of Schumer would be a wonderful thing to see. Whether it happens, with DC short attention spans, is a guess and have a 50:50 chance of being right.
AOC may be set better to hold her strong voice in the House in 2026, with a chance to be on a Presidential ticket against Vance. Flip side, if out of Congress she'd have the chance to travel and campaign for the 2028 ticket she'd hopefully be on, and even, best world scenario, a ticket she could head.
_______________UPDATE______________
For those with the patience, PBS is livestreaming Senate activity, today.
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First, Schumer is not up for reelection earlier than 2028, so AOC will in 2026 keep her House seat and progressive standing in the House.
Schumer as Crabgrass understands the man, would have kept a fence straddle unless he had the cloture votes with him and other Senators wanting to move that way, and trading something or other with the Republicans behind closed doors, in exchange for cloture votes. What this means, there will be a conciliation bill, and perhaps Schumer believes he has a firm GOP promise to alter some of the worse provisions of the House continuing resolution which - if passed - would run to September, which is still distant from Nov. 2026.
Who votes with Schumer will be telling, with each such cloture supporter having a tale to tell, with Schumer having set the table for them to go "me too" if having no specific reason, in their state, to cut the Republicans slack. Who is with Schumer, and what history of weakness or GOP-lite they have will be worth finding out.
Minnesota's two Senators? The Crabgrass guess is Klobucher with Schumer, Tina Smith a NO.