Schumer Stepping Down From Campaign Post

WASHINGTON — Sen. Charles Schumer said Monday he is giving up his job running the Senate Democrats' national campaign efforts after two successful elections.

"We've had a great run," said Schumer, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee since the 2006 campaign, when he helped engineer a 6-seat gain that gave his party a slim 1-vote majority margin.

This year, the party won seven more seats, with two additional races in Minnesota and Georgia still undecided.

As head of the campaign effort, Schumer preached that candidates must be active in every part of their states, and focus on local concerns and middle-class economic issues _ all of which are hallmarks of the New York senator's approach to his job.

Schumer's decision to leave the DSCC was expected.

He said he felt it was time to devote more of his energy to legislation in what he hopes will be a historic Congress. When lawmakers come to the nation's capital in January they will have strengthened their grip on both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and be working with a Democratic president in Barack Obama.

They will also face immediate decisions on how to deal with the cascading financial crisis, two wars, and ballooning budget deficits.

"I want to just devote more time to legislating, and helping turn the country around," Schumer said.

The outspoken senator said he's more than willing to offer advice to his as-yet-unnamed successor. One name frequently mentioned as a possible successor is Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey.

Schumer is serving his second six-year-term in the U.S. Senate, and he is up for re-election in two years.

Comments

[Paisano]

After giving us Mukasy... He should resign completely! Thanks for suspending the constitution Senator!

[spandautoseattle]

The defining decision of Sen Schumer in the last years was (together with Sen Feinstein) to recommend
Michael "I will not tell you if I believe w@terboarding is a form of torture, I'll go and check and answer you maybe in a month, maybe never and now I'll have a copy of Orwell's 1984 hanging behind me on the wall to taunt you" Mukasey to the Nation as new Attorney General.
Did he ever comment on his mistake?

[stell]

All of these people want to end on a high note. They must not be too confident about the next election.

[buckbuck11]

I'd like him to challenge Harry "the Jellyfish" Reed for Majority Leader.

[GoodScout]

No kudos for you, Chuck. A blind, masterbating monkey could have gotten the Dems to 58 seats given the economic collapse and Bush's failures this year. If you'd been able to lead and get more senators to pony up campaign funds, the Democrats could have easily taken Kentucky, Minnesota and Georgia.

[ErnestineBass]

Schumer was a little tight-fisted when it came to doling out the money, wasn't he?

[sixx]

Chuck, take Mukasey with you pal.

[bascombe]

good riddance to this corporatist, LIEberman supporter.

[bascombe]

he did little to help the effort other than to sit back and take credit.

good reiiance to this corporatist, LIEberman supporter.

[Okieborn]

THANK YOU SEN. SCHUMER !!!

[LeeCalif]

Wish he could be Senate leader. We really need one, ya know.

[ErnestineBass]

Bernie Sanders. He's the ONLY Progressive in the Senate.

[BWonka]

In this case, it really was a "heckuva job". Thanks, Senator!

[ebanks84]

Good man. Good luck!

[JayeSF]

Yea, awesome job, Charlie. What more can you say....

[SPQR1052]

Thank you sir for a job well done. Mission accomplished.

[nellie]

Excellent job. Please mentor your successor.