WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Chris Van Hollen says his challenge to Chuck Schumer for Senate Democratic leader is gaining momentum, claiming at least 15 senators now support him and accusing Schumer’s team of misrepresenting where members stand.
Van Hollen said Sunday that several senators publicly or privately listed as Schumer supporters have instead committed to him or remain undecided. “The Schumer team’s put out a lot of misinformation,” Van Hollen told ABC’s This Week, accusing the longtime Democratic leader’s allies of trying to “instill fear” in potential defectors.
Schumer maintains that he has enough votes to remain leader when Democrats choose their next majority leader by secret ballot on Dec. 1. Earlier public tallies showed 15 caucus members backing Schumer compared with four publicly supporting Van Hollen, although a secret ballot makes firm counts difficult to verify.
Van Hollen entered the race after Democrats captured at least 55 Senate seats in the midterms. He argues the result reflects demand for both opposition to President Donald Trump and broader change within the Democratic Party.
His public supporters include Sens.-elect Abdul El-Sayed and Peggy Flanagan, while Bernie Sanders has also backed his challenge. Several other Democrats have said they will not support Schumer without endorsing Van Hollen.
Van Hollen has also abandoned consideration of a 2028 presidential campaign, saying his focus is now entirely on changing Senate leadership.
The increasingly public dispute turns what is usually an internal caucus decision into a broader argument over whether Democrats’ sweeping election victory validates Schumer’s leadership or creates an opportunity to replace it.
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