By Chuck Schumer defended Abdul El-Sayed when a fellow Michigan Democrat crossed party lines to endorse his Republican opponent two days before the election. Although Schumer backed Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic primary, he later endorsed El-Sayed as soon as he beat her in August. By the final weekend of the race, Senate Majority PAC, the super PAC aligned with Schumer, had spent or committed more than $43 million on Michigan advertising since Labor Day. Only Ohio and Iowa drew more of the group’s ad money over that stretch. When Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers two days before Election Day, Schumer publicly called her decision “a despicable betrayal.”
Now the senator-elect is showing what Schumer’s work bought him: nothing. The Michigan soon-to-be Senator has said he will vote to give Schumer’s job to someone else. His pick, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, is open to running for Senate majority leader when Democrats take control in January.
Did he think when the Democratic Socialists of America said they were going to take over the Democratic Party that they meant just vibes?
Van Hollen “has received an outpouring of calls and is now in active listening mode,” a person familiar with his thinking told Punchbowl News reporter Laura Weiss on Monday. “The door is not shut.” That language marked a shift for the Maryland Democrat, who said Thursday he wasn’t looking to challenge Schumer and was “kicking the tires” on a 2028 presidential run.
NEW: Sen. Chris Van Hollen is now open to a run against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
Van Hollen has "received an outpouring of calls and is now in active listening mode," according to a person familiar w/ his thinking around leadership
"The door is not shut," the person…
— Laura Weiss (@LauraEWeiss16) November 9, 2026
Schumer and Van Hollen took opposite sides in Michigan’s Democratic primary. Schumer backed Rep. Haley Stevens. Van Hollen backed El-Sayed. When El-Sayed won, Schumer immediately endorsed him, and by the final weekend of the campaign, the Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC had spent or committed more than $43 million on Michigan ads since Labor Day. When Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers, Schumer called it “a despicable betrayal.” Four days later, El-Sayed told CNN that Van Hollen would have his vote if he ran.
Schumer had already seen the left displace veteran Democrats in his home state. In June, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, defeated five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat in a Democratic primary. After a string of victories by Mamdani-backed candidates, the DSA began looking nationally for a 2028 presidential candidate. By Sunday, newly elected DSA members were standing beside Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar in Washington as he fielded questions about whether House Democrats would return Hakeem Jeffries to leadership.
Van Hollen wants Schumer to say what he’ll do with the majority before asking Democrats for their votes. He told Fox 5 DC that the next leader should commit to using the Senate’s power to end the war in Iran. “There should be no coronation of the next Democratic leader,” he said Saturday at a gathering in Washington. Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin went a step further at the same event, declining to endorse Schumer and leaving open the possibility that she might run herself.
Democrats just had their best election night in decades, and Senate Dems are already advocating against Chuck Schumer as majority leader
All 5 Democrats who say they won’t back him for majority leader are freshmen elected in the wave. 9 more are wavering and just 3 have said yes pic.twitter.com/pbnoJ07BDl
— Jake Marks (@jakemarks42) November 9, 2026
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal gave Schumer a prediction when CNN asked in October whether he would give him his vote. Blumenthal said he was focused on winning the majority and expected Schumer to lead it if he wanted the job. After the election, he told The Wall Street Journal that no one should doubt Schumer’s job security.
Schumer goes into the secret-ballot election as the favorite. Democrats won at least 54 seats under his leadership, and the Associated Press reported Monday that colleagues expect him to have the votes., but the DSA appears ready to strike.
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