Chris Van Hollen Emerges as Democrats' Top Schumer Alternative After 2026 Midterm Gains
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Nov 11
Chris Van Hollen Emerges as Democrats' Top Schumer Alternative After 2026 Midterm Gains
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Nov 11
Summary
Chris Van Hollen has become the preferred Senate leadership alternative for progressive Democrats pressing Chuck Schumer to step aside after last week’s sweeping midterm victories.
That push reflects an effort by lawmakers and activists on the left to turn election momentum into a broader changing of the guard atop congressional Democrats.
Van Hollen, 67, has staged a notable comeback after leaving House leadership seniority for the Senate’s back benches in 2017.
The contest is sharpening ahead of Senate Democratic leadership elections on Dec. 1, with Bernie Sanders, Elissa Slotkin and some incoming senators also signaling openness to replacing Schumer.