Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is experiencing a sharp slowdown in fundraising, sparking speculation that he could face a primary challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2026. Federal Election Commission filings show the five-term New York Democrat raised just $133,000 in the last quarter — a steep drop from his usual multi-million-dollar hauls and less than half of what he raised during the same period in his last election cycle, The New York Post reported. In contrast, Ocasio-Cortez, 36, brought in $4.5 million for her House reelection campaign during the same three months. The congresswoman has not ruled out a Senate run, raising concerns that she could target Schumer directly.
Schumer’s campaign spent more than it raised from July through September, shelling out $322,000 while taking in less than half that amount. Although he still has $8.6 million cash on hand, that total lags behind Ocasio-Cortez’s $11.8 million, an unusual reversal for the longtime Senate leader known for his fundraising prowess. Analysts point to her grassroots energy as a driving force behind contributions, with Adam Green of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee noting, “There’s a big political and financial upside to being bold and capturing energy, and in this moment that accrues to AOC, not Chuck Schumer.” Schumer’s traditional donor base, including Wall Street, lawyers, and real estate interests, appears to be cooling amid the Democratic Party’s generational and ideological shift.
Despite these concerns, Schumer’s office maintains that he remains focused on retaining Senate control. Spokesman Angelo Roefaro said, “Chuck is focused on raising money for Senate 2026 candidates.” Some progressives, however, have criticized his support for older Democratic leaders, portraying the party as led by an aging leadership out of touch with younger voters. Political analysts caution that Schumer’s fundraising decline may be temporary, given his extensive donor network and ability to mobilize resources when needed. With Ocasio-Cortez’s grassroots fundraising surging and Schumer under growing scrutiny, Democrats are preparing for what could become a high-profile intraparty clash in New York.
Newly unearthed Federal Election Commission records show that Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), one of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics, has made more than $360,000 in campaign payments since 2021 to a California man for ‘bizarre’ reasons.According to FEC filings, Swalwell’s campaign committee and his political action committee, Remedy PAC, have issued more than 75 payments to an individual named Darly Meyer, a North Hollywood resident who also operates a limousine business called CYD Global Car Service.The payments, which span from 2021 through September 2025, vary from as little as $53 to more than $12,000 each. Filings list a wide range of descriptions for the disbursements, including “security services,” “salary,” “travel reimbursement,” “personal travel expense reimbursement,” “car service,” “event flowers reimbursement,” and “postage.” Individual payments totaled more than $120,000 in both 2024 and 2025 alone.
Hans von Spakovsky, a former FEC commissioner and senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the pattern of inconsistencies should trigger a formal review by the agency’s enforcement arm.
“This is the type of bizarre inconsistency that should catch the attention of the FEC,” von Spakovsky said. “These kinds of irregularities should cause the agency’s auditing arm to investigate whether these were legitimate payments to a legitimate contractor.”
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Swalwell’s campaign did not provide a detailed explanation for the varied classifications, Fox News reported.
When reached for comment, the California Democrat replied only, “Darly protects me and my family.” However, a search of the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services database found no record of a state-issued security license for Meyer.
Public records show that Meyer’s business car service markets itself as a provider of “corporate shuttles and luxury chauffeur services” across California. He also serves as an administrator for a Facebook group called CaliHaitians, which describes itself as a “progressive community” for Haitian Americans living in the western United States.
The findings come as Swalwell continues to face scrutiny for his campaign’s history of lavish spending on travel, entertainment, and luxury accommodations abroad. Past FEC filings show that Swalwell’s campaign has repeatedly billed thousands of dollars for first-class hotels, private yacht charters, and luxury transportation services.In October 2023, his campaign reported spending nearly $17,000 with Just Dreaming Yacht Charters, a San Francisco-based company that advertises “relaxing and luxurious” yacht outings for up to 40 guests. His 2023 year-end filing also showed nearly $1,700 in charges at Dubai’s five-star Burj Al Arab Hotel, along with additional expenses at 1 Hotel San Francisco, Austin Proper Hotel, and the Times Square Edition in New York.
In total, Swalwell’s campaign reported roughly $90,000 in travel-related expenses during the final three months of 2023 alone. Earlier filings from 2022 showed nearly $60,000 in travel spending over a six-week span, including a $1,752 charge at Hotel La Maison Champs-Élysées in Paris.
These revelations have fueled accusations from conservative watchdogs and critics that Swalwell’s committees function as “personal slush funds” under the guise of campaign expenditures.Von Spakovsky said the discrepancies in the Meyer payments highlight a larger transparency problem. “When you see this kind of reporting pattern — different labels, inconsistent descriptions, and overlapping functions — it’s the sort of thing that absolutely deserves FEC scrutiny,” he said.
Swalwell, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee and has been one of Trump’s most combative opponents in Congress, has long been a target of Republican criticism over ethics and security concerns.
In 2020, intelligence officials confirmed that a suspected Chinese spy known as Christine Fang, or “Fang Fang,” had developed ties to Swalwell earlier in his career, including through political fundraising. House Republicans later cited that relationship when removing him from the House Intelligence Committee in 2023, calling him a “national security risk.” Swalwell denied wrongdoing, saying he cooperated fully with the FBI and was never accused of misconduct.
The new FEC irregularities are expected to draw further attention from federal regulators.
“If these payments were truly for security, then documentation should exist — invoices, contracts, service receipts,” von Spakovsky said. “If they don’t, that’s when you get into potential violations of campaign finance law.”