ABRAnews Open the whole story. Sign in
US Politics · 2026 midterm elections

Sanders says he won't support Schumer as Senate Democratic leader

Sen. Elissa Slotkin says she is a no until she sees a plan from anyone, while Schumer says he is confident of election.

26 news outlets reported this
Liberal12 outletsProgressive push for new Senate Democratic leadershipCenter5 outletsTension in caucus as Schumer says he'll winConservative9 outletsSanders won't back Schumer for majority leader
ABRAnews EditorialPublished 1 min read
Overview

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, said Tuesday that he will not support Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York for Democratic leader in the new . He spoke at a news conference at the Capitol with Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Sanders said "the time is now for change" and called for a vigorous debate about the party's direction.

Slotkin said she is not actively seeking the job herself. She said she is "a no until and unless" she sees a concrete plan from any candidate. Democrats are set to take control of the after the elections and will hold at least 54 seats when the new Congress convenes in January.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland is considering a run for leader and said he is calling his colleagues. Schumer, 75, said at the Capitol, "I'm confident I will be elected." Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, defended Schumer, according to the AP report in the Seattle Times.

CBS News reports that no contender has emerged to challenge him.

Key figures
  • at least 54 seatsDemocratic Senate seats when the 120th Congress convenes in JanuaryCBS News
  • 14 senators or senators-electnot yet committed on Schumer, per a Primary Democrats analysisThe New Republic
  • at least 10 major politicoshave peeled away from Schumer or shown interest in another leader, per The New RepublicThe New Republic

Three sides of the story

12Liberal5Center9Conservative

26 news outlets reported this

Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.

Liberal12 outlets

Progressive push for new Senate Democratic leadership

CBS News leads with Sanders becoming "the most prominent progressive to oppose his candidacy to date." It quotes him at length on families struggling with food, health care and housing while "the billionaire class has never ever had it so good." It also keeps his line "I like Chuck."

The New Republic headlines that Sanders warns Schumer his days as leader "are up," calls Sanders a Democratic Socialist and counts the opposition. At least 10 political figures have peeled away or shown interest in another leader, and 14 more senators or senators-elect have not committed, per a Primary Democrats analysis. It adds that Sanders said Schumer is "not going to run unopposed, I don't think."

ABC News runs the AP report, which says the move sets up a "seismic confrontation." NBC News titles its video "Sanders and Slotkin say they will not support Schumer for Senate majority leader" and lists a segment in which Gillibrand is "optimistic" about Schumer's election.

Center5 outlets

Tension in caucus as Schumer says he'll win

The Seattle Times runs the AP report, which says Sanders' announcement sets up a "seismic confrontation" after the party's sweep in the midterms. Its version adds that some incoming Democratic senators have echoed the demand. It says Schumer's preferred candidates lost in Michigan and Maine to progressives who then won in the general election.

It notes Schumer recruited Sen.-elect Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Sen.-elect Roy Cooper in North Carolina, and that progressives including Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed have pushed Van Hollen as a contender. Gillibrand is quoted saying "this caucus is grateful for the work of Senator Schumer." Schumer says, "I'm confident I will be elected."

The Hill reports that Sanders and Slotkin will not back Schumer, underscoring "tensions in the caucus" after the party's midterm victories. It adds that Senate Democrats from the progressive and centrist wings are against him.

Conservative9 outlets

Sanders won't back Schumer for majority leader

The Washington Times reports that Sanders, "a leading voice for the socialist wing of the Democratic Party," said Tuesday he won't support Schumer for Senate majority leader.

All sources: 44 articles from 26 outlets

Liberal (23)

Center (7)

Conservative (14)

2026 midterm elections
  1. Mississippi's Senate race reaches Tuesday cutoff for mailed and provisional ballots
  2. House Republicans decide between Scalise and Jordan to lead them in the minority
  3. Sanders says he won't support Schumer as Senate Democratic leaderThis story
  4. Senate Republicans reelect Thune as leader and reject a push to delay the vote
  5. Republican Rep. Salazar wins Florida re-election after an automatic recount
All stories on this topic
Congress

The US parliament: the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill becomes law when both pass it and the president signs it.

All terms →
Senate

The upper chamber of Congress: 100 senators, two per state, elected for six years. It confirms judges and ministers and approves treaties.

All terms →
Midterm elections

US elections halfway through a president's four-year term. The whole House, a third of the Senate and many governors are elected. In 2026 Election Day was November 3.

All terms →
Primary election

A vote inside a party to choose its candidate for the general election.

All terms →