Maryland senator seeks Senate majority leader position as Democrats debate direction after big wins

BALTIMORE — Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen is throwing his hat into the ring to become the next Senate majority leader, saying he is not planning to run for president in 2028.

He's taking on longtime Democratic caucus leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York for his current position as Senate majority leader after Democrats won big on election night. It marks the first major challenge since Schumer stepped into the role in 2017.

"I'm the underdog in this race," Van Hollen said on Friday outside of a democratic conference in Denver. "I think it's important to give Senate Democrats a choice. That's what we just gave voters all over the country: a choice. They chose change, and I think that the Democratic caucus needs to be open to new ideas, a different way of governing."

Scripps News Group Senior Congressional Correspondent Nathaniel Reed said the effort highlights a growing divide in the Democratic Party.

"The one thing I'm seeing from the Democrats who support Schumer over and over and over again is this analogy of: 'If your team just won the World Series, why would you fire the manager?' That's the argument from establishment Dems," he explained. "The argument from Chris Van Hollen is, well, we have a mandate from the American people for change. I want to be that change."

Schumer, in a public statement, said he still has all the votes he needs to keep the job.

But political science professor John Dedie at the Community College of Baltimore County believes Van Hollen has a shot.

Dedie points to his more progressive politics, like his criticism of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and endorsement of up-and-coming politicians like Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed, which have resonated with younger generations.

"I think for a lot of people he's on the right side of these issues right now, and I think that's where it gives him a big edge," Dedie said.

A victory would be a win-win for Van Hollen and Maryland. But Reed is more skeptical of that possibility, though there may be more to be gained than meets the eye.

"It doesn't seem likely that Van Hollen will become majority leader, but certainly some of the people who are supporting him, potentially even he, could reach some sort of agreement with Chuck Schumer. An agreement to have certain votes on certain bills, to step aside in a certain number of years," Reed said.

To win the high-ranking position in Congress, Sen. Van Hollen would need 29 votes. The vote takes place via secret ballot next month.

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