Incoming Democratic senators want someone other than Chuck Schumer to become the next majority leader in the US Senate, although Schumer likely still has enough votes in his caucus to remain the top Democrat.
Annie Andrews , the Democratic senator-elect from South Carolina, told Fox News’s Bret Baier on Thursday that the Democratic party needs new leadership. When asked whether she would support Schumer’s leadership bid, she replied: “I still very much believe it’s time for generational change on both sides of the aisle.”
Adam Hamilton , the senator-elect from Kansas, told CNN on the campaign trail that he would not support Schumer as the party’s leader. Hamilton, the first Democrat to win a Kansas Senate seat in 94 years, had pitched himself as independent from the Democratic party.
Abdul El-Sayed, the senator-elect from Michigan, again declined to support Schumer as the majority leader on CNN on Thursday and said he wanted to consider other options.
Other incoming Democrats have also declined to support Schumer, including James Talarico, the senator-elect from Texas; Juliana Stratton , the senator-elect of Illinois; Chris Pappas , the senator-elect of New Hampshire; Peggy Flanagan , the senator-elect of Minnesota; and Troy Jackson , the senator-elect of Maine
Democratic voters have indicated they want newer and younger leadership in the party. Over the last two years, progressive Democrats have scored major victories in local and state elections.
It’s led some lawmakers to push for similar changes in decade-old leadership. Schumer, 75, has served as the Democrats’ leader in the Senate since 2017.
But Schumer did not appear worried about his bid for Senate majority leader, telling reporters on Wednesday : “I’ll be re-elected as majority leader.”
Schumer likely has enough votes within his party to become the next majority leader. He’s also running uncontested as of Friday afternoon – no other Senate Democrat has officially thrown their hat into the ring.
But the longtime Democrat has also encouraged members of his party to rally around one another.
“The issue is not me … the issue is focusing on the American people and what they want,” Schumer told reporters.
After securing a comfortable majority in both the House and Senate, Democrats will head into a new Congress with the ability to push back on Donald Trump’s administration and pass legislation they promised to voters.
