Chuck Schumer has unwaveringly defended Joe Biden in public in the wake of his abysmal debate performance last month, but the Senate majority leader is reportedly marching to a different drum away from prying eyes. Axios reported on Wednesday that Schumer has been “privately signaling to donors” that he remains open to a different Democratic presidential nominee. Three people familiar with the matter told the outlet that, over the last fortnight, the majority leader has been quietly listening to suggestions about the best path forward for the party. Schumer has also been hearing out his colleagues, many of whom are desperately worried about Biden’s viability as a candidate. More than half a dozen Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill had broken with the party to publicly call for Biden to step aside as of Wednesday evening. But Schumer has reportedly given no indication as to who, if anyone, he would prefer to see on the ticket, and remains publicly behind the president. “Schumer’s going to hold the line for leadership as long as he can,” a Senate Democratic aide told The Hill on Monday. “It’s hard to predict if the dam will fully break, but the dam is crumbling.” In a statement released Wednesday night, Schumer responded to the report, noting, “As I have made clear repeatedly publicly and privately, I support President Biden and remain committed to ensuring Donald Trump is defeated in November.”
