Van Hollen challenges Schumer for Senate Democratic leadership

Some Senate Democrats are calling for a change at the top. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland announced Thursday that he plans to challenge Chuck Schumer for the party’s leadership post.

Schumer, the current minority leader, said he has the votes to remain in charge and is looking ahead to leading the party’s new majority.

Several Democrats, including incoming Michigan Sen. Abdul El-Sayed and Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, have pushed for new leadership. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has also said he won’t support Schumer.

Van Hollen has criticized Schumer over his ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and what he views as an overly conciliatory approach to the Trump administration.

“It’s now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership,” Van Hollen said. He added that his campaign was not about one person, but about responding to voters’ demands.

In a post Thursday, Van Hollen said Americans had called on Democrats to address an economy he described as rigged against working people and shaped by political corruption.

Schumer struck a defiant tone in response, saying he welcomed discussion about the caucus’s future. He pointed to the party’s 55 seats and said he had enough support to continue as Democratic leader.

The leadership vote is expected in early December and will be conducted by secret ballot.