Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland announced on Thursday that he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, setting up a contest over who leads the Democrats after their midterm sweep.
Van Hollen made the announcement in an interview with MS NOW host Jen Psaki. He said voters sent a message in the midterms and the party needs new leadership to answer it. “This is not about any one individual, but it is about answering the call of the American people,” he said.
Democrats flipped at least eight Senate seats in the midterms and will enter January with at least 55 senators, according to CNN. The caucus will pick its leader in a closed ballot on December 1, and the winner needs a simple majority.
Van Hollen, 67, said he would use the full power of the Senate to end the war in Iran and lower the cost of living. He had spent days weighing the run. As recently as Saturday, he told CNN that seeking the job was not his focus and that he was also weighing a run for president in 2028.
Schumer, 75, has led Senate Democrats since 2017. He responded on Thursday that he welcomes a discussion about the caucus’s future and that he has the votes to stay on as leader. “I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader,” he said in a statement.
Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan quickly backed Van Hollen’s bid. Several returning Democrats and most incoming freshmen have declined to publicly commit to Schumer, CNN reported.
Source: Reuters
