Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is facing a potentially serious challenge to his hold on power as momentum builds behind Chris Van Hollen, with the Maryland senator now reportedly open to a run for majority leader. A movement to draft Van Hollen to challenge Schumer is gaining steam, according to Politico Playbook, which reported Monday that two people close to the effort said it was underway. The latest development comes despite Democrats’ sweeping midterm victories, which handed the party control of the Senate and would elevate Schumer from minority leader to majority leader if he retains the support of his caucus.
Schumer, who has led Senate Democrats since 2017, has publicly expressed confidence that he has enough votes to remain leader. But resistance among Democrats has persisted even after the party’s strong election showing. Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the progressive group Indivisible, is among those pushing the effort and was in contact with Van Hollen as recently as Sunday, Politico reported.
That marks a notable shift after Van Hollen said in a live interview with FOX 5 DC last week that he was “not looking to be the next Democratic leader” and was instead “kicking the tires” on a potential 2028 presidential campaign. During the same interview, he declined to endorse Schumer, saying the choice of the next Democratic leader “should not be automatic.” Newsweek has contacted the offices of Schumer, Van Hollen and Levin for comment. Several incoming Democratic senators have either said they will not support Schumer or called for a generational change in leadership, while some sitting senators have stopped short of endorsing him.
Van Hollen and Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin both declined to back Schumer during a post-election gathering in Washington on Saturday. Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has repeatedly said he would support the Maryland Democrat for majority leader. El-Sayed had telegraphed that preference months earlier, introducing Van Hollen at a July campaign event as the “next Senate majority leader.” Van Hollen has also increasingly positioned himself in debates over the Democratic Party’s direction.
In August, he told NBC News’ Meet the Press that Democratic Socialists of America members have a place in the party and argued that Democrats should embrace ideological debate. Senators-elect Adam Hamilton of Kansas, Troy Jackson of Maine and Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota are among the incoming Democrats who have expressed opposition to another term for Schumer or called for new leadership. Hamilton told CNN’s Dana Bash on State of the Union on Sunday: “I think whether it’s fair or not, Chuck Schumer is seen as a more divisive figure by many people, and I think we need somebody who’s going to bring us together.” Indivisible has separately called for Senate Democrats to replace Schumer following the midterms.
The progressive organization said voters had demanded “a new generation of Democratic fighters” and called for a public process to select new leadership. The effort adds to pressure generated by petitions calling for Schumer’s replacement, which had amassed more than 100,000 signatures by Thursday. Schumer nevertheless enters any leadership contest with substantial advantages.
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