Senate Leadership: Seven Democrats Reject Schumer's Bid
Incoming senators from Illinois, Kansas, and Texas among those signaling opposition to the New York Democrat.
By Harper Collins ·
Seven newly elected Democratic senators have signaled they will not support Chuck Schumer for the role of Senate majority leader. The group includes representatives from Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Texas. This opposition emerged immediately after Democrats won a majority in the US Senate during midterms held in November 2026.
Schumer, a 75-year-old senator from New York, stated on Wednesday in Washington that he intends to retain his position. He told reporters, "I'll be re-elected as majority leader." He currently needs a simple majority of the Democratic caucus to win the vote next month. Projected caucus size ranges from 54 to 56 members.
Illinois senator-elect Juliana Stratton confirmed through a spokesperson that she will not back Schumer. Kansas senator-elect Adam Hamilton previously told CNN in September that he is not supporting the New York Democrat. Maine senator-elect Troy Jackson said on Monday that he told Schumer he would support someone else. Michigan senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed reiterated on Thursday that he supports Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen.
Minnesota senator-elect Peggy Flanagan said on Wednesday, "It is time for new leadership." New Hampshire senator-elect Chris Pappas said last week that voters want a new generation of leadership. Texas senator-elect James Talarico has called for new blood and said he wants to hear Schumer's vision before committing. Jackson has questioned Schumer's ability to connect with working-class voters. Flanagan's staff said she wants a progressive champion to lead the party through the final two years of Donald Trump's presidency.
Criticism of Schumer also stems from his handling of the previous government shutdown. California governor Gavin Newsom called Schumer's support for a Republican reopening bill a capitulation. Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib suggested Schumer should have stepped down over the issue. Van Hollen told Bloomberg that Democrats should demand a bold agenda before committing to Schumer. The organization Indivisible released a memo on Thursday urging members to demand a contested leadership election.
Schumer said on Wednesday that the party's new plan includes investigating the Trump administration and challenging its agenda. He added that the goal is to end the war in Iran. When asked about the growing criticism, Schumer said the elections were not about him. He stated, "This is about the American people and what they want and what they need and what we can do to help them. Plain and simple."
Democratic lawmakers return to Washington next week for the leadership vote. New Jersey senator Cory Booker told ABC on Wednesday that he commends Schumer for the midterm results. Booker said he will have a family discussion but believes America should give Schumer his due. Schumer's office has not yet responded to questions about how he plans to address the concerns raised by incoming members.
