On Monday, Representative Ro Khanna from California urged the Democratic Party to revamp its leadership. His comments come amid growing frustration with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York and other party members who supported ending the government shutdown.

Speaking on “The Don Lemon Show,” Khanna highlighted the positive development of a “new generation of leaders” emerging from last Tuesday’s elections. However, he criticized the current party leadership as “mindboggling.”

“It’s a group disconnected from the current political climate,” Khanna remarked.

Khanna commended leaders such as New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, and Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, viewing them as the party’s future.

In his call for Schumer’s removal from leadership, Khanna noted a comment, possibly serious or in jest, that labeled him as a “backbencher.”

“I said, ‘No, the problem is those of us in the back need to get to the front,’” Khanna said. “This party needs a change in the leadership.”

On Sunday, Khanna wrote on social media that if Schumer cannot keep his caucus unified against a government funding bill that doesn’t extend enhanced health insurance subsidies, then he should not lead Senate Democrats.

Schumer’s leadership was called into question after eight moderate Democrats strayed from the party to vote for a congressional resolution to reopen the government. Democrats maintained their positioning by arguing for the extension of those enhanced health insurance subsidies before they expire at the end of the year.

Khanna was not alone in criticizing Schumer over the current path out of the shutdown. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow on “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Monday that the party leadership, as Khanna said, is “in many respects, is way out of touch with where Democrats in general are, where many independents are, where the grassroots of America are.”

“Look, what you got right now, Chuck Schumer is part of the establishment,” Sanders said. “And I’m sorry to say that many people in the Democratic caucus are part of that. I would say we have eight or nine out of 47 people who I would consider to be progressives. So you can argue, and I can make the case, that Chuck Schumer has done a lot of bad things, but I think getting rid of him, who’s going to replace him? Who is going to replace him?”

After news broke about the deal struck between Senate Democrats and Republicans, Sanders said it had been “a very bad night.”