Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday that he will seek the U.S. Senate majority leader’s job in the next Congress, challenging Chuck Schumer after Democrats won control of the chamber in the midterm elections.

The announcement sets up the first contested election for Democratic Senate leader in decades, according to Associated Press reporting published by CBC. The caucus will choose its leader in a closed-door, secret-ballot election in early December.

Van Hollen, who had previously said he was considering a bid, framed his candidacy as a response to voters’ demand for change.

“It’s now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership,” he said in a statement. “This is not about any one person — it’s about answering the call of the American people. That is why I’m running for Senate Majority Leader.”

Schumer maintains that he has enough support to keep leading the caucus. In a statement responding to Van Hollen’s announcement, he welcomed discussion about the party’s future while pointing to its election gains.

“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,” Schumer said.

The leadership question has divided Democratic senators, many of whom have declined to disclose publicly how they intend to vote. Senators have privately debated what message to draw from the election results.

Schumer recruited many of the party’s successful candidates and raised money for their campaigns. Since the election, he has also been speaking with Democratic senators about an agenda for 2027.

His confidence predates the formal challenge: “I’m going to win it,” Schumer told The Associated Press in an interview last week.

Sources