WASHINGTON ― Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) on Thursday evening announced he would challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to lead Senate Democrats next year.
“I am planning to run for the Senate majority leader,” Van Hollen said on MS Now. “Because this is not about any one individual, but it is about answering the call of the American people.”
Despite opposition from some current and incoming Democratic senators, Schumer has been widely expected to win enough support from his colleagues to be elected majority leader when Democrats hold an internal vote next month. Van Hollen formally announcing his candidacy changes the situation, though it’s not clear how strong his chances will be.
In response to Van Hollen’s announcement, Schumer repeated what he’s been saying since last week ― that he’s totally confident he’ll win a majority of Democrats in their secret-ballot election.
“I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead,” Schumer said on social media. “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.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who previously said he wouldn’t support Schumer, cheered Van Hollen’s announcement, as did Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D-Mich.). Several other Democrats posted statements supporting Schumer.
“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,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) said. “Under Leader Schumer, Democrats won at least 55 seats. He earned his position as Majority Leader next Congress, and together we’ll deliver for Wisconsin families.”
Van Hollen had previously said he was considering a run for president in 2028, and a source familiar with his thinking told HuffPost last week he was “not looking at the majority leader role.”
On Thursday, Van Hollen said he felt a greater sense of how last week’s election represented a generational opportunity for change.
“The scale and scope of this victory, 56 Senate Democratic seats, really gives us a mandate and the votes to do big things,” Van Hollen said. “Voters have rejected the Trump policies, they’ve not yet hired Democrats. They’ve given us a chance. We have to earn their trust, and my view is that you can’t earn that trust with old leadership, you need to move on to new leadership.”
Asked for an example of what he’d do differently than Schumer, Van Hollen said he would withhold support from an upcoming funding bill and risk a government shutdown after Dec. 11 unless President Donald Trump agrees to end the Iran war.
“This is an illegal and senseless war. I believe we need to end it now, immediately. To use all our power to do that. That means not one more penny spent on this war, so that we can bring prices down right away,” Van Hollen.
The Maryland Democrat is essentially calling for a high-stakes showdown with the administration similar to the one Democrats staged last fall over health insurance tax credits. Schumer went for the shutdown last October after having been pilloried by progressives for having avoided a similar conflict the previous March.
“Like 75% of voters who went to the polls said, ‘End the war, bring down prices,’ Van Hollen said. “We should do it now. We shouldn’t say we’re going to wait till January when we have the power to do it on Dec. 11.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, which oversees the legislation to fund the government, told HuffPost Democrats were having “a lot of discussions” about how to handle the upcoming funding deadline.
“We’re looking at every option that we have and how to do it right,” Murray said.
The top Republican appropriator, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), opposes the Iran war, but told HuffPost on Thursday the Senate should use a War Powers Resolution, not a government funding bill, to try to influence the administration.
As for Schumer, even senators who support Schumer have said they also support at least having a conversation about their leadership and their agenda.
“I’m supporting Chuck Schumer, but I’m also excited by the new ideas and energy that new members are bringing to the Senate,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told HuffPost. “Clearly, there needs to be a conversation about changing rules or procedures, in general, the operation of the Senate to produce more results.”
“The demand for change is very strong,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told HuffPost. “Then again, it is also the case that Chuck just led a historic effort to win, and he knows Trump better than anybody else in the caucus, which is valuable. But then there is this overwhelming desire for change, and we have to accommodate all those things.”