Politics
Van Hollen Launches Bid to Unseat Schumer as Senate Democratic Leader
Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, arguing that working people need new leadership. Schumer says he has the votes to keep the job.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., announced Thursday that he will run for Senate majority leader, becoming the first Democrat to challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for the top leadership post.
"In this election, the American people called for change. They called for a change from Donald Trump's disastrous policies â but even bigger than that, a change from the status quo that isn't working for working people," Van Hollen said in a statement.
The move follows efforts by grassroots progressives and some newly elected Democratic senators to draft him for the position as they seek an alternative to Schumer, who has led the Senate Democratic caucus since 2017.
"It's now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership. This is not about any one person â it's about answering the call of the American people. That is why I'm running for Senate Majority Leader," Van Hollen added.
Schumer remains favored to retain his role, but the contest is likely to be the most serious challenge he has faced for the job. Democratic senators will hold a vote in December to choose their leadership for the next Congress. The vote is conducted behind closed doors and requires a simple majority of the caucus.
According to Van Hollen's team, he plans to run on having the new Democratic majority use every available tool to end the Iran war, starting with the upcoming government funding measure to avoid a December shutdown. He is also proposing to reverse President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," get money out of politics and tackle corruption.
Van Hollen, 67, is newer to Congress than Schumer, 75, but both men have served for decades. Van Hollen was first elected to the Senate in 2016 after serving in the House for more than a decade beginning in 2003. Schumer was first elected to the House in 1980 and moved up to the Senate in 1999.
Schumer responded on X to Van Hollen's announcement, asserting he has the votes to win.
"I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead. I'm proud of what we've accomplished togetherâ55 seats and counting is an amazing resultâand I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader," he said. "I look forward to leading our new Democratic majority and delivering for the American people."