Scoop: More House Democrats call for Chuck Schumer to resign over shutdown deal

A growing number of House Democrats are calling for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to step aside from leadership, with several telling Axios in exclusive interviews that he has overstayed his welcome.Why it matters: Schumer is highly unlikely to heed their calls, but this represents Democrats' largest groundswell against one of their leaders since last year's effort to push then-President Biden off the presidential ticket."I think it's very widespread," Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios of the anti-Schumer sentiment in the House."People are frustrated, because we as members of the House are in direct contact with our constituents all the time ... and a constant theme is: 'We need something different.'"State of play: House Democrats erupted in fury Sunday after eight Senate Democrats sided with Republicans to reopen the government, cutting a deal many in the party view as inadequate.The deal rests on Republicans' promise of a vote next month on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, but the vote faces an uphill battle in the Senate and an even tougher fight in the House.Schumer personally voted no, and he privately fought to stop the deal, but many House Democrats have vented that even if he didn't tacitly allow it, he still failed to keep his caucus in line.What they're saying: "I think we need new leadership. The secret to a long life is knowing when it's time to go," Balint said when asked if Schumer should stay on.Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said she believes Schumer privately blessed the deal despite publicly opposing it, telling Axios: "I think he should step down. They should get somebody new.""It is past time to start thinking about new leadership for Senate Democrats that meets the moment and the urgency we're facing right now," said Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.).Said retiring Rep. Chuy García (D-Ill.): "I'm very disappointed in leadership for getting us to this juncture. I'm hoping he seriously thinks about stepping down.""We're in an unprecedented moment," said Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.). "That begs a larger question about new approaches and new leadership across the board."Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) questioned the Senate leader's "ability to understand the moment we're in and the politics of today and the way we communicate those politics," adding it "might be time for him to step aside.""It's up to the Senate to decide," said Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), "but I'm certain a lot of folks in my district are looking for a change in leadership."Zoom out: They join Reps. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Mike Levin (D-Calif.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who have previously called for Schumer to resign.Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) and Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) also told Axios this week they believe Schumer should step down."There's definitely a lot of anger," said Ivey, who initially called for Schumer to resign in March after he personally voted for the Republicans' bill to avert a government shutdown.The lawmakers join an expanding bloc of progressive grassroots groups and Democratic candidates for Congress who have demanded that Schumer step down.The other side: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has said he stands behind Schumer, with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) telling Axios on Wednesday that "he should" stay on.That House leadership supports Schumer is all some members need to hear: "If he's good enough for Hakeem Jeffries, he's good enough for me," said Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.).For others, it's a simple matter of staying out of trouble, with newly sworn-in Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) telling Axios: "I literally just got here, and I don't want to start picking fights."And while some Senate Democrats have publicly criticized the lack of unity within the caucus, none have publicly called for Schumer to step aside. The bottom line: Some Democrats who spoke to Axios said they are simply anxious to move on from the whole ordeal, with some saying they prefer to train their fire on Republicans rather than fellow Democrats.That's an argument Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) made in a closed-door caucus meeting on Wednesday, according to four sources familiar with her remarks."Republicans are to blame," she told her colleagues. "So stop pissing on each other and start pissing on them."

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