Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who just emerged from the ‘Schumer Shutdown’ politically wounded, is watching his party self-destruct before his eyes, and it could even lead to his own undoing, according to political observers who are watching things play out in the nation’s capital.
That opinion is shared by conservative radio host and professor Hugh Hewitt, who predicted that Schumer would not win a primary contest against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) if she chooses to run against him as their Democratic Party shifts further and further to the hard left.
“Before I let you go, I know you’re not a gambling man, but does Chuck Schumer survive this? I mean, it seems designed to insulate him from AOC, and if that was his goal, I don’t think it worked,” Fox News host and former GOP congressman Trey Gowdy asked Hewitt during a segment on his Sunday show.
“I do think he survives it for a very selfish reason by the other Democrats. Nobody wants that job. Someone’s going to have to open the government again. He’s already got — he’s a pin cushion of arrows, so there’s nothing he can really lose,” Hewitt began before dropping his prediction.
“He’s not going to win if AOC runs against him in 2028. I would not be surprised if he is announcing his retirement early in 2027 to clear the way. He’s been in government for 50-plus years. Sometimes it’s time to go home and there’s no reason not to use that if a guy has been beat up this badly, and boy, has he been beaten up pretty badly,” he added.
A New York Post editorial board piece published a week ago noted that rank-and-file Democrats are largely dispirited and frustrated after a lengthy shutdown failed to win concessions from majority Republicans on issues important to their party.
“Democrats pointlessly kept the government shut down for 41 days (and still counting!), purely to satisfy their squalling left flank’s need to do something to ‘resist’ President Donald Trump,” the editorial began.
“After they shut it down, they opted to claim the point was to force the GOP to extend expiring Covid-era Affordable Care Act subsidies — though the Dems themselves had set the expiration date back in 2021,” it continued. “Yet the true reason was simply that Democratic grassroots activists and donors are furious that they can’t get their way in Washington, and insisted that their congresscritters express their rage.
“After they shut it down, they opted to claim the point was to force the GOP to extend expiring Covid-era Affordable Care Act subsidies — though the Dems themselves had set the expiration date back in 2021,” it continued. “Yet the true reason was simply that Democratic grassroots activists and donors are furious that they can’t get their way in Washington, and insisted that their congresscritters express their rage.
“It doesn’t matter that they’re near-powerless because they lost last year’s elections. That is, ‘saving democracy’ never had anything to do with respecting the wishes of the majority of voters; it
The op-ed noted, too, that the most left-wing base of the Democratic Party in Congress is livid with Schumer, with some even calling for him to be removed.
“Sen. Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” postured Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
There have been rumors for months that AOC has been eyeing a primary challenge to Schumer, which is why he bent to her wing of the party to keep the government shuttered.
A new report from CNN says that, if she does challenge Schumer, AOC would likely win.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten reported Tuesday that Schumer’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level for any Democratic Senate leader since at least 1985.
The career of Congresswoman
This controversy illuminates a deeply polarizing debate over the boundaries of loyalty for naturalized citizens and the legal criteria for maintaining U.S. citizenship.
The recent calls for action against Omar are predicated on an interpretation of her public statements suggesting her primary allegiance may lie with her country of origin.
The commentary highlights two specific points from the leaked video:
“Our President”:
“Home and Heart”:
Critics interpret these remarks as an explicit admission of conflicting allegiance, arguing that an elected U.S. representative is required by oath to prioritize the United States above all other nations. The commentary asserts that such a conflict, if proven to guide her official actions, could constitute a failure of loyalty—a severe political charge.
The demand for Omar’s deportation is politically charged and relies on specific legal concepts regarding citizenship revocation.
As a naturalized citizen, Omar’s status is contingent upon fulfilling the requirements established during the naturalization process. The law allows for the revocation of citizenship (denaturalization) if it is proven that the individual obtained citizenship through fraud or willful misrepresentation of material facts.
The commentary links this mechanism to other unproven, long-circulating allegations:
Marriage Fraud: Critics persistently raise the unverified claim that Omar married her brother for immigration purposes. If such an act of fraud were ever proven, it could constitute grounds for denaturalization, as it would violate the oath of renunciation of foreign allegiance and involve material misrepresentation.
Failure of Allegiance: Beyond the marriage claim, critics argue that Omar’s recent comments themselves could be retroactively used as evidence that she never genuinely intended to renounce her former allegiance during the naturalization oath—a requirement that demands absolute fidelity to the U.S.
The political strategy here is clear: using the threat of denaturalization, a process legally contingent on proving fraud, to amplify a message of political disloyalty.
Adding fuel to the political fire, the commentary includes several strong, unverified claims regarding Omar’s personal finances and alleged corruption within the Somali-American community in Minnesota:
“Magical” Wealth Increase: The commentary features a report claiming Omar’s net worth has “soared to $30 million,” representing a 3,500% increase in a single year, immediately following her earlier public statements dismissing claims that she was a millionaire. Critics allege this “magical” financial growth, attributed to companies run by her husband, warrants immediate investigation for ethical or legal violations.
Widespread Fraud Allegations: The issue of Omar’s personal wealth is tied to broader, severe allegations of corruption within the Somali-American community in Minnesota. The commentary cites federal charges against 47 individuals for allegedly stealing $250 million from federal child nutrition programs. These claims are used to create a generalized environment of suspicion, suggesting Omar’s alleged actions are part of a larger systemic problem that demands investigation into her political allies and Governor Tim Walz.
Ballot Harvesting Allegations: The segment also references controversial reports alleging that supporters of Omar and her allies engaged in illegal “ballot harvesting”—illegally gathering absentee ballots from elderly Somali immigrants—to influence local elections.
The overall narrative weaves together allegations of personal financial corruption, political disloyalty, and electoral fraud, demanding not only Omar’s removal from office but also wide-ranging federal and state investigations into her political network.
Ultimately, the controversy centers on the uncompromising political demand that all U.S. elected officials, regardless of their background, demonstrate absolute and singular allegiance to the United States.
The commentary concludes with a direct challenge to Omar and others who voice similar sentiments: If their “home and heart” is a foreign nation, they should return there. This stark ultimatum frames the debate as an essential fight for American sovereignty against internal political threats.
The ongoing controversy confirms that for many of Omar’s opponents, her political and personal identity remain the central targets, with her continued presence in Congress being viewed as a direct challenge to the nation’s political and moral order.