By — Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/van-hollen-to-challenge-schumer-for-senate-democratic-leader Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Van Hollen to challenge Schumer for Senate Democratic leader Politics Nov 13, 2026 9:26 AM EST WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen 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. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. "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…
Van Hollen to challenge Schumer for Senate Democratic leader
In short
Internal divisions have surfaced following midterm election victories that secured at least 55 Senate seats for Democrats. Chuck Schumer argues he already has the necessary votes to retain his role as leader in the upcoming closed-door secret ballot in early December. In caucus meetings, Schumer has been promoting an agenda for 2027 focused on healthcare, tariff legislation, and halting the war with Iran. Meanwhile, Chris Van Hollen is building momentum with endorsements from progressive leaders who are demanding bold party leadership.
Key points
- Disagreements stemming from a 2025 spending vote have led progressive organizations to ac…: Disagreements stemming from a 2025 spending vote have led progressive organizations to actively pursue Chuck Schumer's replacement.
- Chris Van Hollen is framing his leadership campaign around the electorate's demand for a…: Chris Van Hollen is framing his leadership campaign around the electorate's demand for a fresh organizational direction.
- Chuck Schumer claims to possess the required votes to continue leading the Senate Democra…: Chuck Schumer claims to possess the required votes to continue leading the Senate Democratic majority in the next Congress.