Van Hollen Challenges Schumer for Senate Democratic Leadership Ahead of New Congress

In brief

• Senator Chris Van Hollen has announced he will challenge Chuck Schumer for the Senate Democratic leadership.
• The challenge reflects pressure from progressive Democrats who view Schumer as too moderate.
• The secret-ballot vote is set for early December, ahead of Democrats taking control of Congress in January.

A challenge from within the party

Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland announced on Thursday that he will seek the job of Senate majority leader, challenging the current Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York (Democratic Senate leader Schumer set to face leadership challenge – BBC News) (USA - Offenbar Kampfabstimmung bei Demokraten um Posten des Mehrheitsaführers im Senat – Deutschlandfunk) (Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer for majority leader – NBCNews.com). Van Hollen, 67, said voters had asked for change and that the party needs new leadership to deliver it (Na post lídra demokratov v Senáte bude proti Schumerovi kandidovať Van Hollen – HNonline.sk). Schumer, 75, has led the Democratic caucus in the Senate since 2017 and was first elected to the chamber in 1999.

Pressure from the left

Van Hollen is generally regarded as a representative of the party's progressive wing. He has criticized what he calls an economic system that favors the wealthy over working people, and he has spoken out against the Trump administration's immigration practices and federal corruption (Chuck Schumer’s challenger for party control underscores Democrats’ ideological rift – The Guardian).

Support and opposition

Schumer said he welcomes a discussion about the caucus's future and that he has the votes to remain leader. Some senators have publicly backed him, including Sherrod Brown and Angus King, while others, such as Bernie Sanders and Elissa Slotkin, have not endorsed him. Van Hollen has drawn support from newly elected senator Abdul El-Sayed, among others. Analysts quoted in the coverage described Schumer as still the favorite.

Timeline

The vote will be held in private in early December, and the winner will take up the post on January 4, when Democrats take over both chambers of Congress. Democrats will hold 55 of the 100 Senate seats after winning the November 3 midterm elections.