Schumer dismisses possible AOC primary challenge, says he's focused on bringing Trump's numbers down

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the possibility of a primary challenge from progressive lawmaker Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in an interview following his controversial support for a Republican spending bill. 

"That's a long time away," Schumer told The New York Times in an interview when asked about reports that Democratic lawmakers have privately encouraged Ocasio-Cortez to run against him for New York's U.S. Senate seat in 2028.

Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as one of the leading voices in the Democratic Party critical of Schumer for supporting the House-passed funding measure to avoid a government shutdown.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer rejected a primary challenge from progressive lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in an interview with The New York Times. (Getty Images)

"I am focused on bringing Trump's numbers down, his popularity down, exposing what he has done to America and what he will do," Schumer said. "That's my focus right now. You know, three years from now is a long way to speculate. I believe that my hard work against Trump will pay off," he added. 

In a display of the rifts among Democrats over the spending bill, Ocasio-Cortez told CNN host Jake Tapper on Thursday that Schumer effectively allowed Republicans and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take priority over their base. 

"I believe that’s a tremendous mistake," she told Tapper.  

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In a display of the rifts among Democrats over the spending bill, Ocasio-Cortez told CNN host Jake Tapper on Thursday that Schumer effectively allowed Republicans and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take priority over their base.  ( Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Schumer announced his vote for the short-term spending bill, or continuing resolution (CR), on Thursday evening, stating that though he believes the "bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse."

In a column for MSNBC, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., also criticized the CR, stating it "gives Elon Musk and President Donald Trump even more flexibility to steal from the middle class, from seniors, from veterans, from working people, from small businesses and from farmers, all to pay for tax breaks for billionaires."

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Schumer's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.  

Fox News' Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.