Chris Van Hollen launches a challenge to Chuck Schumer for Senate Democratic leader

WASHINGTON (Nov. 13) — Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said Thursday night that he will run for Senate majority leader in the next Congress, becoming the first senator to formally challenge Chuck Schumer barely a week after Democrats won control of the chamber in the midterm elections.

"In this election, the American people called for change," Van Hollen said in a statement, NBC News reported. "It's now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership. This is not about any one person — it's about answering the call of the American people."

Schumer answered on X within hours. "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," he wrote. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, Angus King and Jacky Rosen made their support for Schumer public the same night, Politico reported.

Van Hollen called himself the underdog in an interview with MS NOW but said more than 10 senators had pledged to back him. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who said Tuesday he would not support Schumer, endorsed Van Hollen after the announcement, as did Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan, according to NBC News. In an interview with The Washington Post, Van Hollen acknowledged that unseating Schumer would be an uphill fight.

His team said he would run on using the new majority's leverage to end the Iran war, starting with the government funding bill needed to avoid a December shutdown, along with reversing President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," getting money out of politics and tackling corruption, NBC News reported.

Schumer has led Senate Democrats since 2017 and is still favored to keep the post. Democratic senators will choose their leaders in a closed-door vote in December that requires a simple majority of the caucus, the Associated Press and NBC News reported.