Sen. Chris Van Hollen will challenge Schumer to become Senate majority leader, Axios reports

Democrats won the Senate in the midterms. Schumer said Tuesday he is confident, and the secret-ballot vote in December needs only a simple majority.

28 news outlets reported this

Liberal13 outletsSchumer under pressure while Jeffries looks secure Center6 outletsA Democratic debate over who leads Congress Conservative9 outletslittle coverage

ABRAnews EditorialPublished Nov 13, 20261 min read

Overview

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday night on MS NOW that he will challenge Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for majority leader, Axios reports. Until then, no one had publicly entered the race, and Van Hollen had said he was in "listening mode" and calling colleagues. Democrats flipped the Senate in the , and Axios counts at least 54 seats to 44, with some races uncalled.

Schumer, the party's Senate leader since 2017, said Tuesday he is "confident" he will be elected. MS NOW reports his aides told the New York Times he already has enough commitments. The vote is a secret ballot in December and needs only a simple majority of the caucus.

Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elissa Slotkin have said they will not support Schumer. So, per Axios, have incoming senators including Adam Hamilton of Kansas and Troy Jackson of Maine. Sen. Brian Schatz and incoming Sen. Sherrod Brown have voiced support.

In , Hakeem Jeffries is so far running unopposed for speaker. An NBC News poll found 13% of registered voters view Schumer positively, while fifty-three percent hold a negative view.

Key figures

at least 54 Senate seats to 44Democratic Senate seats won, by Axios' countAxios
255 House seats to 168Democratic House seats won, by Axios' count, with some races uncalledAxios
100,000 signaturespetitions to replace Schumer, a day after launch, per AxiosAxios
13%registered voters who view Schumer positively, NBC News pollMS NOW
Fifty-three percentregistered voters who view Schumer negatively, NBC News pollMS NOW

Three sides of the story

13Liberal 6Center 9Conservative

28 news outlets reported this

Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.

Liberal13 outlets

Schumer under pressure while Jeffries looks secure

Axios leads with the pull of social media on party leaders and reports that Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday night on MS NOW he will challenge Schumer. It cites petitions to replace Schumer that passed 100,000 signatures a day after launch, and puts the contrast this way: "He'll likely win the room. But he's losing the feed."

NBC News' politics newsletter opens with Jonathan Allen's analysis that Jeffries and Schumer have "plenty of critics" but no challengers. It quotes Rep. Jahana Hayes on Jeffries, "No one else is putting their name in," says Schumer is on track to win a secret ballot after Thanksgiving, and notes Van Hollen is gauging support. MS NOW opens with the adage "You can't beat somebody with nobody."

It quotes Van Hollen, "There should not be a coronation," and Sanders and Slotkin against Schumer. Gillibrand and Gallego defend him, and Sen. Ben Ray Lujan asks, "Does he have an opponent?"

Center6 outlets

A Democratic debate over who leads Congress

NewsNation reports that Democrats appear set for a debate over whether Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will keep leading, as the party prepares to control .

NewsNation: Democrats debate leadership as they prepare to control Congress

Conservative9 outlets

Outlets on the right gave the story little coverage.

All sources: 43 articles from 28 outlets

Sen. Chris Van Hollen will challenge Schumer to become Senate majority leader, Axios reports

Three sides of the story

Liberal13 outlets

Center6 outlets

Conservative9 outlets

Which side made the stronger case?

Liberal (20)

Center (12)

Conservative (11)

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