Sen. Chris Van Hollen will challenge Chuck Schumer for Democratic leader. Schumer says he still has the votes.
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday that he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader. He said the party needs “new leadership” after midterm elections in which Democrats won enough seats to take control of the chamber.
Van Hollen has served in the Senate since 2017 and in Congress since 2003. Schumer has been the Senate Democratic leader since 2017 and has served in the Senate since 1999. Van Hollen acknowledged he is the underdog but said on MS NOW that he has more than 10 senators on his side. Sen. Bernie Sanders quickly endorsed him. Abdul El-Sayed, whom Van Hollen endorsed in Michigan’s Senate primary, has suggested he would back Van Hollen.
Schumer said in a statement, “I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic leader.” He also said he welcomes discussion about the future of the caucus, and pointed to the party’s election results. Schumer has more public backers at this stage, including Sen. Angus King and Sen.-elect Sherrod Brown.
Van Hollen has harshly criticized Israel’s military operation in Gaza, while Schumer has long been among the Israeli government’s most outspoken Democratic supporters. Van Hollen also criticized Schumer for, in his view, working behind the scenes to back certain candidates in Democratic primaries.
Senate Democrats will cast secret ballots in December, giving activists and senators nearly three weeks to weigh in. On the Republican side, current Majority Leader John Thune was swiftly reelected to lead his party despite the GOP’s defeat.
This report draws on CNN, ABC News, CBS News and Axios.