Schumer or Jeffries to lead Democrats 2025?

“A defiant Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed that he won’t step aside as the chamber’s top Democrat, rejecting calls from some House colleagues and liberal advocates critical of his move to help pass a Republican funding bill,” NBC News reports.

Said Schumer: “Look, I’m not stepping down.”

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The push for Jeffries to step up and ‘Lead’ the Democrats going forward…

Nancy Pelosi privately offered some advice for Hakeem Jeffries as Democrats devolved into bitter infighting over a government funding bill reviled by much of their party.

“Use your power,” she told him in an hour-long sit down in his office earlier this month, telling Jeffries to flex his muscle with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and sharpen their party’s strategy with a shutdown looming, according to a person briefed on their conversation.

After a week back home where Democrats took an earful from their voters demanding they hold a tougher line with President Donald Trump, Jeffries is facing new pressure to forgo his cautious demeanor and lead the charge against the White House – and take the reins of his party’s strategy from Schumer.

“He’s gonna have to lead, or Chuck leads. This is his moment, so step up,” said one senior House Democrat who is close to Jeffries and was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “He’s always bowed to Schumer, and I think that’s gonna end.”

The role of serving as the House’s top Democrat under a Republican president is a new one for Jeffries. Indeed, it was Pelosi – having served as speaker battling President George W. Bush and also during Trump’s first term – who often drove her party’s strategy….

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“We gotta show people we are willing to stand up,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan, adding that Democrats “have to be willing to cut waste and fraud” but also defend key government programs.

“People are scared, they are angry,” she said. “We have to protect the programs that people rely on.”

In his third year leading House Democrats, Jeffries is now facing his biggest national moment yet. And it comes at a politically vulnerable time for him personally. Before Schumer’s crisis of confidence, Jeffries’ leadership had also been the subject of questions from a divided House caucus and party base.

“He’s never been in the position like this before,” said one senior House Democratic member, who said Jeffries “has had to adjust” and has been “slow” at times to tap into the anger from the Democratic base….

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image…Fox News