Election 2026LiveSenate54 Dem · 44 Rep · 2 to callHouse240 Dem · 147 Rep · 48 to callGovernors28 Dem · 20 Rep · 2 to callUpdated 23:33 ET · AP race calls
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US Politics

Schumer says he will be reelected Senate leader after Democrats win Congress

Fox News reports five newly elected Democratic senators have said they won't back him, while no incumbent Democratic senator has publicly opposed him.

9 news outlets reported this
Liberal3 outletsSchumer celebrating a generational remake of the SenateCenter3 outletsSchumer's path to staying leader despite dissentConservative3 outletsSchumer's vow to investigate Trump and fight
Published 3 min read
Overview

Democrats won control of both the and in Tuesday's elections, according to NBC News projections. On Wednesday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called the result "a generational remake of the Senate map." Asked about leading the party next, he said, "The issue is not me.

I'll be re-elected as majority leader." Roll Call reports the Democratic caucus would have a range of 54 to 56 seats once the results settle, and that the leadership vote will likely be held in early December by secret ballot. Fox News reports that five newly elected Democratic senators have said they will not back him.

According to Fox, none of the incumbent Democratic senators has said in public that they will vote against him, and no rival has sought the job. Schumer said Democrats will work to bring down costs and end the war in Iran. He said Republicans squandered their chance two years ago. He also said the Senate will open investigations, go to court and tie Trump up in "legislative razor wire" if he defies the law or the will of the American people.

Key figures
  • 54 to 56 seats size of the Senate Democratic caucus, per Roll Call — Roll Call
  • at least seven seats Democratic Senate gains, per the New York Post — New York Post
  • 232 seats House seats Democrats had won so far, per Just the News — Just the News
  • 255 seats Jeffries' predicted final House total, per Just the News — Just the News
  • five newly elected Democratic senators who oppose Schumer as leader, per Fox News — Fox News

Three sides of the story

Liberal3 outlets

Schumer celebrating a generational remake of the Senate

NBC News runs a video page led by Schumer's line that "we have seen a generational remake of the Senate map," surrounded by clips of Democratic wins and speeches by Hakeem Jeffries and others. NPR says Schumer, the day after his party flipped , said voters had spoken clearly about their priorities and that it is up to Democrats to deliver. PBS NewsHour quotes him saying "Americans voted for change" and describes a "generational remake" of the Senate map.

Center3 outlets

Schumer's path to staying leader despite dissent

Roll Call leads with Schumer's prediction, "I'll be reelected as majority leader," and then sets out where several incoming senators stand on his leadership. It quotes Peggy Flanagan, Adam Hamilton, Troy Jackson and Abdul El-Sayed, and former Democratic leader Tom Daschle, who says he doubts anyone will challenge Schumer. It reports the leadership vote will likely come in early December by secret ballot, and it relays Schumer's line that voters "did not give us the majority so we can do whatever we want."

The Hill's headline says Schumer "has votes" for majority leader despite some Democratic dissent. The Hill reports that he expects to win the post at the party's leadership elections, and that a handful of incoming senators have threatened to withhold their support. It quotes him saying, "The issue is not me."

The Journal's news piece describes a jubilant Schumer after Democrats flipped both houses. It says he and the party's progressives set aside differences to win but face possible fights ahead.

Conservative3 outlets

Schumer's vow to investigate Trump and fight

The New York Post calls Schumer "gleeful" and leads with his pledge that a Democrat-led Senate will stop a "wannabe king" Trump with "legislative razor wire." It quotes him calling Trump "corrupt" and declaring, "The days of Trump's supplicant Senate are over!"

It also reports his vow to end the Iran war and pass affordability legislation with or without the White House. Fox News leads with his statement "I'll be re-elected as majority leader," and names the five newly elected Democrats who have said they oppose him. Just the News, in one report, says Schumer took a "victory lap" and warned Trump, and that he has so far not received a challenge.

In another, it says the new majority's first statements point to investigations rather than lower costs, citing posts by Sens. Ed Markey and Ron Wyden about and Jeffries' stress on affordability.

All sources: 10 articles from 9 outlets

Liberal (3)

Center (3)

Conservative (4)

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1 min
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