Slotkin seeks a full priorities plan before backing any candidate
Sen. Bernie Sanders said Tuesday at a news conference at the Capitol that he will not support Sen. Chuck Schumer for reelection as Democratic leader in the new Congress. His announcement came after Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats far beyond those initially viewed as competitive, including in Texas, Kansas and South Carolina, and set up a confrontation over the party’s leadership.
Sanders, the independent from Vermont, was joined by Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. Together, they said Democrats need a new generation of leadership and a vigorous debate about the party’s direction and future. “The time is now for change,” Sanders said. “And I will not be supporting Chuck to be reelected as the Democratic leader.”
Slotkin said she is not actively seeking the job. She said potential Senate leaders should present a full plan for the priorities of the new majority. “I’m a no until and unless I see that from anyone,” she said.
The opposition extended beyond the two senators. A number of incoming Democratic senators echoed the call for new leadership and signaled that they would support another candidate over Schumer. Democrats, particularly in the party’s progressive wing, have called congressional offices to say it is time for new leadership.
Schumer recruited high-profile candidates who helped secure the majority, including Sen.-elect Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Sen.-elect Roy Cooper in North Carolina. His preferred candidates also lost primaries in Michigan and Maine, where progressive candidates prevailed and went on to win the general elections.
Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed and other progressives have pushed Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland as a potential contender. Van Hollen, who previously said he was considering a run for president in 2028, is also considering a run for Senate leader, though it was not clear how much backing he would have. At a Washington event Tuesday, Van Hollen said, “I am in the process right now of calling my colleagues.”
Schumer, 75, has shown few signs of stepping aside, especially after he just led his party to power. At the Capitol, he said, “I’m confident I will be elected.” Pressed about his own future in an interview with The Associated Press shortly after the party’s election wins, Schumer said he was focused on the year ahead. “The focus has got to be on getting things done,” he said.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, strongly defended Schumer on Tuesday. She said, “this caucus is grateful for the work of Senator Schumer.”
The leadership decision comes as Senate Democrats begin conversations ahead of elections expected later this month. Republicans were meeting behind closed doors Tuesday to choose their own party leaders for the next Congress.