Van Hollen Announces Challenge to Schumer for Senate Democratic Leader, Vote Set for Dec. 1

Since Democrats swept the early-November midterms, pressure on Chuck Schumer has built steadily. On Thursday, Nov. 12, it turned into an actual race.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., announced he will run for Senate majority leader when the new Congress convenes Jan. 4. He is the first Democratic senator to openly challenge Schumer, who has led the caucus since 2017.

The announcement

"In this election, the American people called for change," Van Hollen said in a statement. "They called for a change from Donald Trump's disastrous policies, but even bigger than that, a change from the status quo that isn't working for working people."

He made the case in more detail on MS NOW's "The Briefing with Jen Psaki." Voters have rejected Trump's policies, he said, "but they've not yet hired Democrats." His argument: "You can't earn that trust with old leadership."

On Saturday, Van Hollen had said he wasn't planning a run. Asked what changed, he pointed to the scale of the win. Democrats hold at least 55 Senate seats. The Alaska race has not been called, and Democrat Mary Peltola holds a slight edge, which would make 56.

Van Hollen is 67 and has been in the Senate since 2017, after 14 years in the House. Schumer is 75 and has been an elected official since 1981. Both are up for reelection in 2028, and Van Hollen has said he is weighing a presidential run that year.

Schumer's response

Schumer answered on social media within a minute. "I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead," he wrote. "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."

He has not said whether he has spoken with Van Hollen about the bid. Earlier this week he told reporters, "I'll be reelected as majority leader."

Van Hollen offered his own count. He said more than 10 senators have pledged support, but acknowledged: "Am I the underdog? Yes."

He has been critical of Schumer in recent days. Earlier this week he said the leader had sided with the crypto industry and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee over progressive candidates who went on to win. On Thursday he also said the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, chaired by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, should not accept AIPAC money.

Who is lining up where

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, endorsed Van Hollen. So did Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed, who said he urged Van Hollen to run. Sanders and Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan had called for new leadership at a press conference earlier this week. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said he is open to new leadership if a challenger emerges.

Schumer's defenders are making a results-based argument. Gillibrand credited his "strategic leadership" and said, "We are about to win nine Senate seats. That has never happened in my political history." Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada endorsed Schumer late Thursday. Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, wrote on X: "The Brewers just had a record season, and next year is not the time to change our management. The same is true in the Senate."

Schumer has also faced criticism from his own side. Critics have accused him of being too willing to compromise and not forceful enough against Trump, a complaint that dates to the spring 2025 spending vote in which he sided with Republicans. Van Hollen's backers point to his trip to El Salvador in 2025 to check on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported to the CECOT prison, as proof he will take risks when it counts.

Many senators have not said publicly how they will vote.

What Van Hollen would do

According to his team, Van Hollen plans to run on using "every available tool" to end the Iran war. That starts with the upcoming government funding measure, which must pass to avoid a December shutdown. He also wants to reverse Trump's "big, beautiful bill," get money out of politics and go after corruption.

That puts a leadership fight and a shutdown deadline on the same December calendar.

The math

The vote is a closed-door secret ballot scheduled for Dec. 1. A simple majority of the caucus decides it, which Newsweek puts at 28 votes. Secret ballots make pledges hard to verify. Both candidates' claims of support are their own counts.

The last contested race for Senate Democratic leader was in 1994, when Tom Daschle of South Dakota beat Chris Dodd of Connecticut for the job Sen. George Mitchell was leaving.

Whether Van Hollen's "more than 10" pledges hold, and whether Schumer's count survives a secret ballot, will be settled Dec. 1.