Sanders backs new Senate leadership bid against Schumer
The Vermont independent and Michigan’s Elissa Slotkin joined forces Tuesday to demand a full policy plan from any candidate seeking to lead the new Democratic majority.
By Arjun Weber ·
Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Tuesday that he will not support Sen. Chuck Schumer for re-election as the Democratic majority leader in the new Congress. The Vermont independent stood beside Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan at a Capitol news conference to declare that the party requires fresh leadership.
Sanders, a central figure in modern U.S. progressivism, stated that the moment for change has arrived. He explicitly ruled out backing Schumer, a decision that sets up a direct confrontation within the caucus following the party’s midterm victory.
Slotkin, who stated she is not actively seeking the position herself, explained that she requires a detailed plan from any potential leader. She said she would support a candidate only if they present a full strategy for the priorities of the new majority.
The push for new leadership has gained momentum as Democrats secured Senate seats in states far beyond the initial competitive map, including Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina. Schumer recruited high-profile candidates like Sen.-elect Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Sen.-elect Roy Cooper in North Carolina to help secure the majority. However, his preferred candidates lost primaries in Michigan and Maine, where progressive challengers won both the nomination and the general election.
Progressive members of the party have been contacting congressional offices to demand a leadership change. Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed and other progressives have pointed to Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland as a potential contender. Van Hollen, who has previously considered a 2028 presidential run, said he is currently calling colleagues to gauge support for a Senate leadership bid.
Schumer, 75, has shown few signs of stepping aside after leading the party back to power. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, defended Schumer on Tuesday. She said the caucus is grateful for his work.
Schumer told the Associated Press that his focus is on getting things done in the year ahead. He expressed confidence that he would be elected to the leadership role. Democrats are expected to hold elections for party leaders later this month, while Republicans met behind closed doors on Tuesday to choose their own leadership.
