Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said the main reason Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) rallied Democrats to defeat a Republican funding bill and trigger a government shutdown is because he’s afraid of facing a primary challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in 2028.

Said Mullin: “Here you have a career politician who is more afraid of his reelection … than he is doing what’s right for the American people. This is what happens when you have a career politician.”

He added: “He is afraid of AOC over a clean continuing resolution.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, 74, declined to confirm whether he would run for reelection in 2028, telling Punchbowl News: “My first focus is winning in 2026, getting back the Senate in 2026, and that is my focus… it’s sort of my North Star.”

A new Data for Progress poll finds Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) leading Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in a 2028 Democratic Senate primary, 55% to 36%, with 9% undecided.

“Ken Paxton, the attorney general of Texas, is getting ready to challenge Senator John Cornyn in what could be the nastiest and most expensive Republican Party showdown of the 2026 election,” the New York Times reports.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) acknowledges that a potential run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand would be an uphill battle, but the Republican isn’t completely ruling out a campaign against her in 2024, Politico reports.

Said Zeldin: “We’ll keep an eye on the race.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), one of Sen. Kyrsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) strongest possible primary challengers, is all but closing the door on a possible run, Politico reports.

Said a spokesperson: “She is not planning to run for Senate in 2024. She is not planning to primary Gillibrand.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) teased a potential challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Politico reports.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) avoided ruling out a run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in the 2024 election, the Albany Times Union reports.

Said Zeldin: “She’s trying to create a sense of urgency with donors. They know it would be a pretty epic clash if I decided to do it.”

“Ending months of speculation about her future, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a liberal Democrat from upstate New York, announced in recent days that she would seek a third full term next year,” the New York Times reports.

“The most pressing question facing her campaign now is whether anyone from her own party will try to challenge her. After a string of high-profile primaries from the left in New York, Democratic strategists, politicians and donors have spent months speculating whether an ambitious young member of Congress, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Ritchie Torres, would take on Ms. Gillibrand.”

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is up for re-election in 2022, has a 69% to 19% favorable rating among registered Democratic voters in New York, according to a new Siena Poll.

Politico: “With Schumer at the helm of the Senate, the prospect of a left-wing challenge next year stands to play a major role in shaping the legislation that comes out of Washington. That applies whether or not Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pulls the trigger, at least for the next few months.”

“The two-term congresswoman is seriously considering campaigning for the seat but is so far undecided… Multiple sources said her decision will be contingent on how Schumer wields power with his new Democratic majority in the upcoming months: Will he be pushed around by Mitch McConnell? Or will he work to pass ambitious, progressive legislation favored by the left?”

Top Democrats tell Axios they expect Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) may eventually primary one of the two New York senators — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2022, or Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2024.