Van Hollen Announces Run for Senate Majority Leader, Formally Challenging Schumer Ahead of the Dec. 1 Caucus Vote
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, announced on November 12 that he will run for Senate majority leader, challenging Chuck Schumer, who has led Senate Democrats since 2017. The closed-door caucus vote is set for December 1, making this the first contested Senate Democratic leadership election since 1994.
Van Hollen announced his bid in an interview on MS NOW. He said voters in the midterm elections had called for a change from a status quo that is not working for working people, adding: "This is not about any one individual, but it is about answering the call of the American people." He acknowledged he is the underdog in the race while saying more than 10 of the 55 Democratic senators back him.
Democrats flipped multiple seats in this year's midterms and will hold at least 55 Senate seats in the new Congress, alongside a House majority. The winner needs the support of a majority of the 55- to 56-member caucus.
Schumer responded the same day in a statement: "I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader." Schumer, 75, has led Senate Democrats since 2017. Van Hollen, 67, has served in the Senate since 2017 after 14 years in the House.
Before Van Hollen's announcement, Sen. Bernie Sanders said publicly on November 10 that he would not back Schumer's re-election as leader, and Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has said he will support Van Hollen. GSM previously reported that at least seven newly elected Democratic senators declined to commit to backing Schumer, bringing the leadership fight forward.
(Source: Reuters)
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国马里兰州联邦参议员 Chris Van Hollen 官方肖像（资料图）。美国参议院摄影工作室摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons；竖幅原图以全图不裁切方式制成 16:9 成品。 / Photo: Official portrait of U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland (file photo). U.S. Senate Photographic Studio, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; the portrait-format original was set into a 16:9 frame without cropping.
