Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., seen above Aug. 8, 2026 in St. Paul, Minn., announced he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for Senate Majority Leader.
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Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland announced he would challenge Chuck Schumer of New York for Senate Majority Leader, pushing the party into a new debate over its future just days after his resounding victories in the midterm elections.
Van Hollen made the announcement Thursday, saying voters sent a clear message in the midterms that they wanted “a change from the status quo.”
“It is now up to us to confront this moment, and to do so, we need new leadership,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “It’s not about one person, it’s about answering the call of the American people. That’s why I’m running for Senate Majority Leader.”
Van Hollen, 67, was elected to the Senate in 2016 after spending more than a decade in the House of Representatives representing a Maryland suburb outside Washington, DC. One of the most progressive members of his party, he gained national attention last year by pushing for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia after he was wrongly deported to a prison in El Salvador.
His announcement comes at a time when progressive activists, as well as some Democratic lawmakers, are calling for Schumer, 75, to be replaced as party leader. Schumer has held the position since 2017, but has drawn the ire of many within the Democratic base for not taking a tougher stance against President Trump during a fight over government funding in early 2025.
“I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead of us. I am proud of what we have accomplished together – 55 seats and counting is an incredible result – and I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic leader,” Schumer wrote on social media after Van Hollen’s announcement. “I look forward to leading our new Democratic majority and meeting the expectations of the American people.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters at the Capitol on Nov. 10, 2026.
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Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
While Schumer has claimed he has the votes to become majority leader, he has faced growing resistance within the Democratic caucus. Earlier this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who aligns with the Democrats, said he would oppose Schumer. He made the announcement alongside Michigan Democrat Elissa Slotkin, who has not said outright that she would oppose Schumer but told reporters, “I’m looking for change.”
Several new Democratic lawmakers have also expressed opposition to Schumer’s bid for majority leader, including Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota and Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan.
“I deeply appreciate Senator Schumer,” El-Sayed told NPR this week. “But this is a question of leadership for the American public, and if all we do is go back to what we did at a time when we were given a mandate, I fear we cannot earn our mandate.”
Several Democrats have publicly expressed support for Schumer, including Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland.
Democrats will vote by secret ballot to elect the majority leader in early December. Whoever wins will preside over a 55-seat majority, but that number could rise to 56 depending on the final outcome of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race.
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