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Van Hollen Challenges Schumer for Senate Majority Leader
Confirmed
In Short: Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday that he will challenge New York Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader in the new Congress.
Who is Chris Van Hollen, the senator challenging Chuck Schumer to be majority leader?. Associated Press
Van Hollen, a two-term senator, said in an appearance on MSNOW, 'This is a generational opportunity for the Senate to respond to the call of the American people for change... They've given us a chance. We have to earn their trust, and my view is that you can't earn that trust with old leadership. You need to move on to new leadership.'
Schumer, who has led Senate Democrats since 2017, responded on X, welcoming 'discussion about the future of our caucus' while also confidently stating 'I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader.'
Van Hollen acknowledged he was the underdog in the leadership elections but remained optimistic that he could garner support from his Senate colleagues.
The Senate Democratic leadership elections are expected to be held in December, with a leader selected based on a majority vote of the caucus.
Van Hollen said the party needs 'new leadership' following the midterm elections in which Democrats won enough seats to take control of the chamber.
In a social media post, Van Hollen said, 'This isn't about any one person -- it's about answering that call.'
Allies of Schumer point to his extensive work recruiting winning candidates and raising campaign funds throughout the election cycle, noting that he has already started consulting with colleagues on a legislative agenda for 2027.
When pressed on whether he would reconsider running for the White House if he loses the leadership election to Schumer, Van Hollen ruled out the possibility.
Van Hollen told the Fox affiliate in D.C. That he is looking at a potential run for the White House in 2028, and he’s not seeking to become Senate Majority Leader.
Some Democrats blamed their party’s leaders for contributing to their losses in the 2024 election that gave Republicans a majority in Congress.
Emerging leader Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he is refusing to fund the government next month until the war is defunded.
Vermont’s independent Senator Bernie Sanders said Tuesday he will not back Senator Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader.
What this adds
Van Hollen's challenge comes as some Democratic senators and activists have called for an alternative to Schumer, a moderate whom they regard as too tied to the party establishment to lead a newly energized party forward in the next Congress.
What's confirmed
- Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he will challenge New York Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader in the new Congress.
- You need to move on to new leadership." Schumer, who has led Senate Democrats since 2017, quickly responded to the news of the challenge, saying he welcomes "discussion about the future of our caucus" while also confidently adding "I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader." "I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead.
- In an appearance on MSNOW on Thursday announcing his bid, Van Hollen, a two-term senator, said: "This is a generational opportunity for the Senate to respond to the call of the American people for change... They've given us a chance. We have to earn their trust, and my view is that you can't earn that trust with old leadership. You need to move on to new leadership."
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday night that he would run for Senate majority leader, launching a challenge to Sen. Charles E.
What's still developing
- During a news conference Friday afternoon, a reporter asked Van Hollen whether entering the race for Senate Majority Leader closed the door on a potential 2028 presidential campaign he had previously been "kicking the tires on."
- After several days of saying he was considering it, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, officially announced last night that he would challenge Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for majority leader.
- The move by Mr. Van Hollen, a progressive Democrat elected to the Senate in 2016 after seven terms in the House representing the Washington, D.C., suburbs, comes as some Democratic senators and activists have called for an alternative to Mr. Schumer, a moderate whom they regard as too tied to the party establishment to lead a newly energized party forward in the next Congress.
- Van Hollen announced his decision Thursday to challenge Schumer, saying that Americans demanded change in the recent election.
- Against this backdrop, Maryland’s two-term Sen. Chris Van Hollen, 67, announced Thursday night he's making a challenge to Schumer.
Sources
- ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videoslink
- Democracy Now!link
- FOX 5 DClink
- Michigan Advancelink
- Newsdaylink
- Newsweeklink
- Prospectlink
- Roll Calllink
- Scripps Newslink
- Talkingpointsmemolink
- The Baltimore Bannerlink
- The Fiscal Timeslink
- The New York Timeslink
- The Well Newslink
- WBFFlink
- Truthoutlink
- Associated Press — video link
- NPR — video link
- ABC News — video link
- CBS Boston — video link