By Progressive organizations are quietly circulating talking points urging Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, to become the next Senate Minority Leader, even as no Democratic senator has publicly called for Chuck Schumer to step aside. The internal push, first reported by Politico, reflects mounting dissatisfaction among liberal groups and some House Democrats over the party’s current direction.
The documents promoting Van Hollen cast him as an experienced strategist with a long record in party leadership. They highlight his years in the House representing Maryland’s 8th District, his tenure as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2008 Democratic wave, and his later role leading the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 2017 to 2019. Supporters argue these positions show a rare understanding of both campaign mechanics and caucus management.
National progressive groups are privately circulating talking points on why they think Sen. Chris Van Hollen should be the next Senate Minority Leader, I’m told.
(No Senate Dem has called for Schumer to step down from leadership, though several liberal groups & House Dems have.) pic.twitter.com/s2rgfgHixG
— Holly Otterbein (@hollyotterbein) November 14, 2025
The materials also stress his legislative résumé, pointing to his work on education funding, HMO reform, handgun trigger-lock mandates, and efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay from offshore drilling while serving in the Maryland State Senate. His decisive statewide victories — 61 percent in 2016 and nearly 66 percent in 2022 — are offered as proof of his broad appeal in a reliably blue but competitive media market.
Newsmax writes that the report comes amid rising frustration with current Democrat leader Chuck Schumer of New York as some House Democrats and fellow liberals call for new leadership. No Senate Democrat has publicly urged Schumer to step down.
Some House Democrats erupted in anger Sunday after eight Senate Democrats broke ranks and joined Republicans to reopen the government — a deal many on the left say gives their party little in return.
Although Schumer voted against the deal and privately pushed to block it, frustrated House Democrats are still blaming him for failing to keep his caucus united.
Proponents present Van Hollen as a unifying figure who could reset the party’s messaging and posture after a difficult election cycle. “At a time when Democrats are debating the future direction of the party, [Van Hollen] represents the rare figure who combines experience, credibility, and a forward-leaning vision,” read the first topline point of the two-page memo, according to the report.
Another point read: “His blend of Pelosi-style strategic and tactical precision and Trump-era moral leadership positions him as a leader who can unify the caucus while strengthening its national message.”
Reaction online has been mixed. Critics have circulated voting-record charts questioning whether his positions track closely enough with progressive priorities. Others fault his stewardship of Maryland’s Democratic politics more broadly, citing Baltimore’s high homicide rate as emblematic of deeper policy failures. Some progressives have also objected to his vote to ban hemp, noting it as a signal that not all factions of the left would support his elevation.
Despite the behind-the-scenes advocacy, there is no formal challenge to Schumer within the Senate Democratic Caucus. He remains firmly in place for now. But the quiet circulation of talking points suggests that conversations about the party’s future — and who should lead it — are beginning to move from whispers to open debate as Democrats regroup after their latest electoral setbacks.
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