Chris Van Hollen, the Democratic senator of Maryland, said Thursday that he will run for Senate majority leader in the next Congress, setting up a challenge to Democratic leader Chuck Schumer after the party swept to power in the midterm elections.Van Hollen said in a statement that “the American people called for change” and that is why he is running.“It’s now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership,” Van Hollen said. “This is not about any one person – it’s about answering the call of the American people. That is why I’m running for Senate majority leader.”Van Hollen’s challenge comes after he said he was considering a bid and after Schumer said he had the necessary support to win.
The closed-door, secret-ballot election will be held in early December.“I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead,” Schumer posted on social media shortly after Van Hollen’s announcement. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together – 55 seats and counting is an amazing result – and I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader.”The race will be the first contested election for Democratic leader in decades. The question of whether to re-elect Schumer has already divided the caucus and many senators will not say publicly how they will vote.
They have privately deliberated about what message to take from the election, and Schumer recruited many of the party’s winning candidates and raised money for them.Schumer has been talking to Democratic senators since the election about forming an agenda for 2027.“I’m going to win it,” Schumer told the Associated Press in an interview last week.