Current Affairs Of Pakistan & World: Schumer’s primary slump

Schumer’s primary slump

May 01, 2026

Presented by

With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray

Happy Friday. It’s Adam Wren. We made it through another news-addled week. Get in touch.

In today’s Playbook …

— Chuck Schumer stumbles at a critical moment in Dems' race for the Senate.

— Donald Trump’s tech whisperer has some thoughts about The Terminator.

— The Boldfaces: Martin Heinrich, Brian Schatz, Mallory McMorrow, Abdul El-Sayed, Haley Stevens, Josh Turek, Zach Wahls, Mike Johnson, Pete Hoekstra, David Sacks and more.

DRIVING THE DAY

SLUMPING SCHUMER: Two septuagenarians are at the center of an unfolding dynamic driving the struggle for Senate control: President Donald Trump’s war in Iran puts the chamber more in play, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s primary presence makes Democrats’ task more difficult.

Gas prices are averaging more than $4 a gallon and testing congressional Republicans’ patience as the war crosses both the 60-day threshold and into quagmire territory. Yet even as Democrats appear on the narrowest of paths to retake the Senate, Schumer remains a fresh flash point in contested primaries across the map.

His latest stumble came in Maine, as your Playbook author reports alongside colleagues Lisa Kashinsky and Jordain Carney, and now Schumer’s critics argue he needs to get out of the way in other races. Namely: Democratic primaries in Iowa on June 2 and Michigan on Aug. 4.

After Maine Gov. Janet Mills ceded the race to Graham Platner yesterday, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) told Playbook that Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee should drop their involvement in those two remaining races. “I think the math and polling would indicate that that would be a good idea,” Heinrich said in an interview. Heinrich has backed Platner in Maine and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow in Michigan, siding against Rep. Haley Stevens, Schumer’s pick.

Schumer does have his defenders. “He’s got a very good batting average in recruiting and electoral strategy,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) told POLITICO in an interview. “And I think that if you take a beat and you wait for the noise to settle you realize that nobody thought it was possible that we were going to take the Senate and now because of recruiting success we are a coin flip or even slightly better and that’s due in large part to Chuck Schumer.”

Asked yesterday if he had misread a race that divided his caucus, Schumer instead kept his focus on November, insisting that Dems are going to win Maine and retake the Senate. “We’ve expanded the map and are running on a clear agenda to lower costs across the country — creating multiple paths to the majority,” Schumer spokesperson Allison Biasotti added.

But it was something else Heinrich said that caught our attention — and may ultimately explain why Maine Democratic voters galvanized around a troubled Platner at this particular moment, even as they flouted the Schumer-backed Mills.

“I think there's just a mood right now in the country where there's so much economic pressure on hard-working regular folks, and you can either connect with that or not, and that's how I’ve made decisions in these races: based on whether I think that person is going to do the best job of connecting with that frustration that regular people have right now.”

A message from Anthropic:

AI helps most with the hardest work, not the simplest. Anthropic analyzed 2 million conversations and found Claude's biggest impact is on complex tasks. The Economic Index tracks adoption across every state and occupation. See the data

The deep unsettledness Heinrich describes is upsetting traditional Washington norms around electability, he told Playbook. “I just think who is electable is evolving, and our analysis of these races, and who's going to be the strongest in a general, which is really what’s most important here, from a majority standpoint, needs to evolve with where the electorate is today.”

After all, that electorate is one that sided with a trail of controversial online comments from Platner regarding political violence, the military, police and more that drew months of attention and headlines.

“We've gotten over-analytical as a party, and sanitized and thinking about resumes,” Heinrich said. “None of these candidates are perfect, but I think there's an expectation by voters today that if you seem perfect, you’re probably hiding something.”

But it’s not just Mills. In Michigan, Democratic fears are peaking that former health official Abdul El-Sayed could win his state’s primary later this summer despite his own baggage, including deleted posts backing the defund-the-police movement.

“Graham Platner and Abdul El-Sayed are very different candidates, but both are unafraid to tell the truth about the moment we are in and who is responsible,” said Rebecca Katz, co-founder of the Fight Agency, which is advising both campaigns.

And yet Schumer remains an obstacle, including in Iowa, where state Sen. Zach Wahls is attempting to yoke rival state Rep. Josh Turek, who the DSCC has quietly backed in the race, to Schumer — ramping up the attack line as VoteVets, a group often aligned with the party apparatus, works to boost Turek. Late last night, Wahls adviser Andy Suchorski continued that trend, telling Playbook that Schumer “and establishment Democrats have already spent millions in Iowa trying to buy Josh Turek the nomination, but Iowans know that’s a recipe for disaster in November.” A spokesperson for Turek declined to comment.

Even more progressive candidates like El-Sayed are struggling with how to answer the Schumer question. Last April, as McMorrow insisted Democrats should pick a leader besides Schumer, El-Sayed said: “Anybody who tells you that they’re going to unilaterally oppose one potential candidate without knowing who the alternative is, is either unnuanced or unsophisticated. So I want to know who is available, who is actively seeking the leadership. I’ll make a decision from there.”

McMorrow, who’s facing criticism of her own wiped social media posts, told Playbook that Schumer should “let it play out” in Michigan. “This is a moment for Democrats, and I mean Democratic voters on the ground, to decide what party we want next. It is our turn. It is not the party’s turn anymore.”

Stevens, through a spokesperson, did not comment.

In recent days, El-Sayed has floated Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland as a potential leader.

So has El-Sayd’s thinking evolved since last year? Or does he stand by saying Schumer doesn’t necessarily need to go? A spokesperson wouldn’t quite say.

“Abdul deeply believes that Washington should let Michigan voters decide in this primary, rather than putting their thumb on the scale. It’s not just about who opposes Schumer, it’s about who Schumer opposes.”

Listen: On today’s Playbook Podcast, Adam and Megan Messerly unpack the blowback against Schumer and the tensions that are animating these primary battles ahead of November.

A message from Anthropic:

THE FRONT PAGE

MAGIC MIKE: Speaker Mike Johnson managed to clear the decks this week, reaching resolutions on DHS funding, the farm bill and FISA. But it’s all come at a cost, POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill and colleagues report today. “Republicans say Johnson’s habit of making last-minute, often contradictory promises to keep his tiny majority functioning is starting to catch up with him. Frustrations over his leadership, they say, are at an all-time high.” Johnson says the questions about his leadership are “fake news.”

Still to come: The speaker will have to find a long-term solution for FISA once Congress returns. The Senate may also reject the farm bill. And there’s the Byrd bath process awaiting the budget resolution — not to mention reconciliation round three that hard-liners are banking on. The cherry on top is the looming midterms, which will push the chamber toward a messaging posture as Election Day gets closer.

O’ CANADA: Pete Hoekstra didn’t take the U.S. ambassadorship to Canada to make friends. One year in, it’s clear he doesn’t have many — and that’s fine with him. Both sides may be reaching the acceptance stage of the tumultuous relationship, at a critical time for U.S.-Canada diplomatic relations, POLITICO’s Mickey Djuric and Mike Blanchfield report.

On the record: “It’s not about me, OK. Donald Trump did not tell me to go to Canada and become liked,” Hoekstra told our colleagues in a wide-ranging interview. “Matter of fact, I think he would have said ‘If you go to Canada and you’re liked, it probably means that you’re not doing your job.’”

FRIDAY LISTEN: David Sacks, Trump’s top tech whisperer, is Dasha’s guest on this week’s episode of “The Conversation,” where they discuss the future of AI in America and how the rapidly developing tech is playing across politics and policy discussions.

What Sacks said: “There are these groups that are very well-funded, that really do think that we're headed for the Terminator, and they just want the progress to stop. And I do think that has affected the public discourse on this.” Listen and subscribe on Apple and Spotify
Screenshot 2026-05-01 at 6.13.47 AM.png

A message from Anthropic:

Anthropic's Economic Index tracks adoption across every state and occupation. See the data

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. THE BRAVE NEW WORLD: Today is the deadline for tech companies to submit answers to the White House on how they’re planning to ward off cyber attacks from AI, like Anthropic’s advanced AI model Mythos, POLITICO’s Aaron Mak and colleagues scooped. “The request for additional, detailed information from these companies reflects the intensifying focus in Washington on the evolving threat that hyper-advanced AI tools may pose.”

2. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Rob Sand, the Iowa Democratic state auditor and gubernatorial candidate, is out with his second ad of the general election, titled “Family Tradition.” The 30-second spot is part of a statewide, six-figure ad buy focused on … you guessed it: the economy, your author scoops. The ad talks up Sand’s thriftiness and “new efficiency programs to save your tax dollars and uncovered record amounts of misspent tax money.” Watch it here.

3. FORD’S FOCUS: Ford is celebrating America’s 250th by “extending employee pricing to customers at participating dealers on most new 2025 and 2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles,” according to an announcement of its “American Value. For American Values.” shared first with Playbook. Is this a play to tap into the clamor for affordability in a midterm year? “We didn’t want to make our celebration of America 250 political at all,” said Andrew Frick, Ford Blue and Model e president. “We wanted to focus on the customer.” Was it a result of pressure from the Trump administration? No, Frick said. “This was Ford being proactive, and really wanting to celebrate our anniversary as the most American company.”

4. TWO MONTH MARK: Today marks 60 days since the war in Iran began — but the administration looks poised to breeze past the deadline to withdraw troops. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators the ceasefire means there’s a freeze on the clock. The administration can still appeal to Congress for a 30-day extension — and some GOP senators want this rationale in writing, WSJ’s Lara Seligman and Lindsay Wise write.

Trend to watch: The war powers’ votes in both chambers are poised to continue once lawmakers return from recess. GOP unity is showing signs of fracture after Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) became the first Republican to change their vote to join Democrats, per POLITICO’s Connor O'Brien.

5. NO MORE BETS: The Senate unanimously agreed to ban members and their staff from placing bets in prediction markets, after several wagers have raised ethical concerns in the past about insider trading, per NYT. It was an increasingly rare moment of bipartisanship as Sen. Bernie Moreno’s (R-Ohio) bill received praise from Schumer. Prediction market platforms like Polymarket have vowed to crack down on insider trading.

THE WEEKEND AHEAD

FRIDAY PROGRAMS …

POLITICO “The Conversation”: David Sacks.

C-SPAN “Ceasefire”: Sean Spicer … Michael Allen … Chuck Rocha … Daniel Shapiro.

PBS “Washington Week”: Peter Baker, Susan Glasser, Idrees Kahloon and Ashley Parker.

SUNDAY SO FAR …

FOX “Fox News Sunday”: Justice Neil Gorsuch. Panel: Kellyanne Conway, Susan Page, Karl Rove and Juan Williams.

NBC “Meet the Press”: Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Panel: Julia Ainsley, Val Demings, Amna Nawaz and Marc Short.

CBS “Face the Nation”: Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) … Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) … Mike Wirth.

CNN “State of the Union”: Barney Frank … Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Panel: Jaime Herrera Beutler, Shermichael Singleton, Conor Lamb and Nayyera Haq.

ABC “This Week”: Panel: Donna Brazile, Chris Christie, Sarah Isgur and Patrick McHenry.

Fox News “Sunday Morning Futures”: Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas). Panel: Victor Davis Hanson and Lee Smith.

PBS “Compass Points”: Mark Kelton.

NewsNation “The Hill Sunday”: Sean Trende … Thomas Chatterton Williams. Panel: Robert Draper, Laura Weiss and Bill Sammon.

A message from Anthropic:

TALK OF THE TOWN

THE DISTRICT DEBATE — All major candidates running in D.C.’s congressional delegate and mayoral races will face off tomorrow in a debate forum hosted by DC Dems in partnership with three local groups at George Washington University, Playbook’s Makayla Gray writes in. Up first at 12:30 p.m. will be the candidates aiming to fill retiring Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s seat: Robert White, Brooke Pinto, Trent Holbrook, Greg Jaczko, and Kinney Zalesne. The mayoral debate will follow at 3:30 p.m., featuring the qualifying candidates looking to succeed Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 10-plus-year tenure: Janeese Lewis George, Kenyan McDuffie, Ernest Johnson, Vincent Orange, Rini Sampath, Gary Goodweather and Hope Solomon.

WHCD SHOOTING FALLOUT — “The WHCD Do-Over Dilemma,” by Status’ Oliver Darcy: “The WHCA has been quietly meeting this week to plot its next move after the shooting upended the annual dinner — and despite industry skepticism, Status has learned that a do-over event is still very much on the table.”

NEED TO KNOW FOR THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL — “Amtrak may make it easier to bring guns on its trains despite the alleged attempt on Trump’s life,” by AP’s Josh Funk and Claudia Lauer: “Amtrak is considering allowing people to store guns in lockboxes on most of its trains, which critics say would weaken security measures that instead should be strengthened … The company has been considering the policy change since at least early this year, after being pressured by Trump administration officials to ease restrictions on transporting weapons.”

OUT AND ABOUT — The Corn Refiners Association led a “Field to Fiesta” reception at Mission Navy Yard yesterday evening, convening leaders across agriculture trade, supply chains and North American markets. SPOTTED: John Bode, Ron Campbell, Luis Martinez Senties, Brenda Martinez Vergara, Sergio Gómez Lora, Ted McKinney, Leslee Oden, Jane DeMarchi, Daniel Whitley, Lance Jungmeyer and Alexandra Dapolito Dunn.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — As Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson begins her maternity leave, starting today Joel Valdez is stepping in as acting Pentagon press secretary.

MEDIA MOVES — Kyle Lowder and Kenzie Beach have been named co-hosts of Newsmax’s “Wake Up America Weekend.” Lowder most recently worked at the CBS affiliate in Reno, Nevada, and is a former Hollywood actor. Beach most recently was at Fox’s Phoenix affiliate. … Ron Insana has joined MS NOW as a business analyst. He previously contributed to CNBC.

TRANSITIONS — Ryan White has joined Ervin Graves Strategy Group as VP in the defense, aerospace and cybersecurity practice. He previously worked at Forterra. … Ron Kovach will take over as deputy chief of staff for Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.). Hunter Miller, Stutzman’s current deputy, is taking over as chief of staff. … Emma Mustion will be comms director for Paige Cognetti’s congressional campaign. She previously worked for Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy and is a Bob Casey alum. …

… Democracy Forward is adding Ron Fein of American Oversight as senior legal adviser, Laura Bakst of the Center for Reproductive Rights as senior counsel, Gregory Cumming of DOJ as senior counsel, Andrea Matthews of the CFPB as senior counsel and Briana Clark of DOJ as counsel.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: American Bridge 21st Century’s Pat Dennis … Matilda Bress … Ninio Fetalvo … POLITICO’s Stacey Dec … Stephanie Zimmerman … Ben Jacobs … David Winston … Anthony Cimino of Anthropic … John Bridgeland of Civic … Josh Tonsager … Shaina Goodman … Molly Levinson of the Levinson Group … Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty … Rachael Dean Wilson of Anduril Industries … Ankit Desai … Megan Lowry of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine … Alex Cisneros … Jon Gerberg … Andrew Tyrrell … ProPublica’s Caroline Chen … Elizabeth Stanley … Emily Lamont … Abby Huntsman … Abe Foxman … Matt Meyer of Rep. Jason Smith’s (R-Mo.) office … Will Heidlage … former Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) and. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) … Vogel Group’s Ali Khimji … Kathryn Reed … Shivam Mallick Shah … Leonard Downie Jr. … Gevin Reynolds … Menachem Rosensaft … Clinton Foundation’s Brian Cookstra … Stacie Paxton Cobos … Christina Temple of the RNC

Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here.

Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Giuseppe Macri and deputy editor Garrett Ross.