Incoming Young Democrats In Senate Want Chuck Schumer Out

Incoming freshman and young Democratic senators want to replace Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer with 67-year-old Democratic Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen.

A handful of Democrats opposed Schumer’s potential leadership at a time when Democratic voters have been ousting the old-guard and establishment members of their party. Some incoming senators, including 42-year-old Democratic Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed and 47-year-old Democratic Minnesota Sen.-elect Peggy Flanagan expressed support for Van Hollen over Schumer, arguing they want generational change in leadership.

Van Hollen was among the first to call for an open process to consider replacing Schumer. No senator is currently challenging Schumer.

Democratic Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said during a Tuesday press conference they would not back Schumer as the next leader. The Michigan Democrat said she had a “productive conversation” with Van Hollen.

“I acknowledge that I had conversations with Sen. Van Hollen yesterday because I have a point of view,” Slotkin said. “I’ve sat in that room and tried to figure out what our plan was for two years, and I think maybe it’s because I come from a national security background, you can’t lead people if you can’t lay out where you’re going, and it may be one thing when you’re in the minority, but it’s very different when it’s now your responsibility to deliver.”

Incoming Democratic senators Troy Jackson of Maine, Adam Hamilton of Kansas, Juliana Stratton of Illinois, Annie Andrews of South Carolina and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire also refused to support Schumer. Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Cory Booker of New Jersey expressed support for Schumer.

Schumer said Tuesday he is “confident” he will be re-elected as the party’s leaders.

El-Sayed told CNN Thursday that Van Hollen would be an “amazing Senate majority leader.”

“I’ve been very clear. I think he’d be an amazing Senate majority leader. Of course, that’s a choice he has to make about whether or not he wants to pursue that,” El-Sayed said. “A vote is a choice between two or more options. “If we have another option, I’m going to look at that and say, ‘who is best placed to get us action to get money out of politics, put money in politics, pass Medicare for All?'”

Many old-guard Democratic incumbents lost their primary races to younger, anti-establishment candidates. Democratic Michigan Rep. Shri Thanedar, 71, lost to 34-year-old Democratic Michigan Rep.-elect Donavan McKinney 51.1% to 48.1% in the Aug. 4 primary. Democratic Colorado Rep.-elect Melat Kiros, 29, defeated 69-year-old Democratic Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette in the June 30 primary, ending DeGette’s 30-year tenure in Congress.

Old-guard Republican incumbents held onto their seats in the primaries. Senate Republicans reelected Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia and James Lankford of Oklahoma into leadership Tuesday.

Van Hollen became increasingly critical of the Democratic establishment in recent years. He accused Schumer and the Senate Majority PAC, the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, of siding with the crypto industry and the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) to oppose further-left candidates, according to Politico. He has become more critical of U.S. aid to Israel, which aligns with many further-left Democrats.

El-Sayed repeatedly criticized U.S. aid to Israel and sparred with Democratic Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens over an advertisement that criticized aid. Stevens endorsed then-Republican Michigan Senate nominee Mike Rogers two days before Election Day after El-Sayed told Stevens not to join him at a campaign event.

Van Hollen gained media attention after traveling to El Salvador to visit alleged MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia after President Donald Trump’s administration deported him. Senate aides told the Daily Caller in April 2025 that Van Hollen’s trip was likely paid for by taxpayers.

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