Although Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) did not orchestrate the deal and formally voted against it, he has nonetheless become a lightning rod for criticism. Many lawmakers and activists are holding him responsible for failing to prevent the defections, portraying him as unable to maintain party unity in a moment of high-stakes negotiations.

“Despite voting against the deal, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is emerging as the top target for not containing the defections,” Axios reported, citing several senior Democrats.

“Schumer is voting no,” a senior House Democrat told the outlet. “But that doesn’t mean [a] primary [challenge is] not coming.”

The backlash underscores growing tensions within the Democratic Party, particularly between its progressive wing and the Senate leadership, as lawmakers grapple with the fallout from what many view as a compromise that undermined their leverage in the shutdown standoff.

The agreement brokered by the eight Senate Democrats reportedly included a commitment from Senate Republicans to eventually allow a vote on legislation aimed at permanently extending COVID-era Obamacare subsidies.

For many Democrats, however, the assurance fell far short of what was needed.

“It’s complete BS,” Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios. “A concept of a possible vote. People need healthcare, damn it. Not some lame promise about a mythical future vote.” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) similarly dismissed the deal, saying, “Sounds like a lousy deal to me.”

“People are furious,” an anonymous House Democrat, identified as a centrist, told reporters. “It’s an awful deal and a total failure to use leverage for anything real.”

A Democrat described as “progressive” told Axios that “people are pissed” because it appears Senate Democrats “got almost nothing” from the agreement.

Joel Payne, a spokesman for MoveOn, also weighed in, claiming that the shutdown deal will “screw over millions of working Americans” and arguing that “too many Democrats in Congress… are failing to listen to the clear message voters sent on Election Day.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders Criticizes Democrats Who Voted to Reopen Government

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, directed his criticism at the eight Senate Democrats who sided with Republicans to end the government shutdown.

“Tonight, eight Democrats voted with the Republicans to allow them to go forward on this continuing resolution,” Sanders said Sunday evening. “And to my mind, this was a very, very bad vote.”