Democrats face “cave” backlash on shutdown deal as Schumer takes fire and Ro Khanna demands new leadership

The Senate’s 60–40 vote late Monday to advance—and then pass—a bipartisan package to end the record-length government shutdown has sparked a furious intraparty fight among Democrats. The bill reopens most of the federal government through January 30, 2026 and finalizes several full-year appropriations—but it omits an immediate extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, shifting that battle to a promised December vote. While the package now heads to the House, the political shockwaves are already reshaping Democratic dynamics on Capitol Hill.

“Cave” or necessary reset? The fault line for Democrats

Progressives and activist groups describe the Senate move as a strategic capitulation that squandered leverage to secure health-care protections during the shutdown. Moderates counter that prolonging a paralyzed government and escalating layoffs was untenable—and that the path to preserving ACA subsidies still runs through an explicit, near-term vote this December.

The core of the dispute isn’t whether to support the ACA credits—Democrats are overwhelmingly aligned on substance—but when and at what price to force the issue. By agreeing to reopen first and fight on health care second, Democrats effectively traded timing for certainty that the federal workforce would be restored with back pay, SNAP and other safety-net programs stabilized, and travel bottlenecks at TSA and FAA relieved.

Schumer under pressure despite voting “no”

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer opposed the package on the floor, yet he’s absorbing much of the blame from the party’s left. Critics argue Schumer failed to hold the caucus together and didn’t extract sufficient concessions on health care before green-lighting an end to the shutdown. The anger is sharpened by symbolism: a once-in-a-generation leverage point appeared within reach, then evaporated when a group of Democratic-aligned senators crossed the aisle.

Who broke with the caucus? Seven Democrats and one independent who caucuses with Democrats supplied the decisive votes: Tim Kaine (VA), Dick Durbin (IL), Maggie Hassan (NH), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Jacky Rosen (NV), John Fetterman (PA), and Angus King (ME). Their offices framed the decision as a pragmatic step to end mounting harm while preserving a stand-alone fight on ACA credits in December.

Ro Khanna escalates: “Time to replace Schumer”

Representative Ro Khanna amplified the revolt by calling for Schumer to be replaced as Senate Democratic leader, arguing the vote reflects a broader failure to meet the moment. Khanna praised Schumer’s past legislative wins but said the current environment demands harder lines and clearer red lines on healthcare affordability. His stance crystallizes a split-screen for Democrats: showcase governing competence by restoring services quickly—or sustain confrontation to force policy wins at the risk of extended pain.

Khanna’s intervention matters for three reasons:

1. It gives organizational shape to progressive anger, converting diffuse frustration into a targeted leadership critique.

2. It pressures Senate Democrats ahead of the December health-care vote, raising the political cost of any further compromises.

3. It tests whether House progressives will align tactics with Senate liberals—or whether institutional differences keep strategies divergent.

What the shutdown deal does—and doesn’t—do

What’s in:

• Immediate reopening of the federal government once the House passes the bill and the President signs it.

• Back pay and reinstatement mechanisms for furloughed and laid-off workers through January.

• Stabilization of SNAP and other essential programs.

• Operational relief for TSA/FAA, reducing travel disruptions as staffing normalizes.

What’s not in (yet):

• Enhanced ACA premium tax credits. Leaders pledged a December vote; the outcome will determine whether millions face premium hikes on January 1.

• Broader policy riders on immigration, social spending, or long-term spending caps.

Status check: As of Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, the government is not fully reopened until the House acts and the bill is signed. Agencies typically issue recall memos within hours of enactment, with many services normalizing over 24–72 hours.

Political risks for both camps

• For Schumer and Senate Democrats: The immediate risk is intra-party fracture overshadowing a near-term victory on reopening. If December produces a clean extension of ACA credits, the narrative could flip from “cave” to “two-step win.” If not, calls for leadership change will intensify.

• For progressives: Escalation raises leverage but risks own-goal optics if House or Senate votes stall and shutdown pain returns. The public often rewards resolution over brinkmanship, especially near the holidays.

• For Republicans and the White House: Banking the reopening now is popular, but owning ACA increases—if credits lapse—could be politically costly in swing states.

What to watch next

• House floor path: A clean vote speeds reopening; amendment fights add delay and uncertainty.

• The December ACA vote: Watch whether Senate Democrats remain unified and whether Republicans insist on offsets or structural changes.

• Leadership reverberations: Track whether Khanna’s call gains co-signers and whether any Senate Democrats publicly float alternatives to Schumer.

• January 30 cliff: The stopgap sets up another funding decision; expect pressure to convert more agencies to full-year bills to avoid a repeat.

Democrats ended the standoff in the Senate—but not their own internal one. Whether this week is remembered as a cave or a calculated reset hinges on what happens in December. If ACA credits are secured and the government stays open, pragmatists can claim vindication. If not, the backlash now aimed at Chuck Schumer will only grow louder—and Ro Khanna’s push for new leadership will move from provocation to proposition.