Latest. Van Hollen gave his challenge its clearest policy content on Friday, telling reporters at the What’s Next conference of Democratic leaders and activists in Denver that he would move to end the filibuster if elected leader. “We need democracy in the United States Senate, and that means allowing, ultimately, a majority of senators to answer the call of the American people,” he said. “So that means 51 votes. So my personal view has been all along that the filibuster is an anti-democratic provision. It’s not in our Constitution.” He criticised Schumer for limiting floor votes on popular Democratic measures, confirmed he is no longer pursuing a possible 2028 White House bid, and said he had discussed his decision with Schumer directly before announcing it. The secret ballot is now set for December 1, the first contested Democratic leadership election since 1994, and the winner needs 28 votes, or 29 if Democrats also win the still uncalled Alaska Senate race. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, a senior progressive, publicly backed Van Hollen over Schumer on Friday, and Van Hollen has also floated using the December 11 funding deadline, and the threat of a shutdown, to press President Trump to end the war in Iran, a lever Schumer has not embraced.
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said on Thursday he will run for Senate majority leader, challenging Chuck Schumer, who has led Senate Democrats since 2017. The announcement came days after Democrats won a majority in the chamber in the midterm elections, and after Van Hollen had spent the week signalling that there should be no coronation. The leadership will be decided by a closed door secret ballot next month.
Van Hollen, 67, said voters in the midterms, in which Democrats also secured a majority in the House of Representatives, called for a change from a status quo that is not working for working people. He told MSNOW he has the support of more than 10 of the 55 Democratic senators and acknowledged he is the underdog. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont publicly backed the bid on Friday, and senators elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota are among the challenger’s early supporters.
Schumer, 75, responded on Thursday with a statement saying he has the votes to continue as the Democratic leader in the Senate. He had previously predicted he would face no challenger. Following the midterms, Democrats will hold at least 55 seats in the Senate, with Republicans holding 44 and the Alaska race between Mary Peltola and Dan Sullivan still uncalled.
The contest completes the leadership picture for the new Congress on the Democratic side. Senate Republicans reelected John Thune as their leader earlier this week, and the White House has already opened an oversight confrontation with the incoming Democratic majority. Whoever leads the Senate Democrats will control the floor schedule for the December funding deadline and for the first subpoenas of the new session.