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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he would not support Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to become Senate majority leader once Democrats take control of the chamber next year.
Sanders has praised Schumer, but said in a news conference Tuesday that he believes “the time is right” to change Democratic leadership.
“Personally, I have known Chuck Schumer for over 30 years and I love Chuck. (There is) no one who works harder than Chuck Schumer. But in my opinion, the time has come for change, and I will not support Chuck to be re-elected as leader of the Democratic Party,” Sanders said at a news conference.
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Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the Democratic Party establishment and “liberal elites” during his podcast speech. (FLAGRANT YouTube channel)
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan, joined Sanders at Tuesday’s news conference and said she would not support Schumer either. However, neither supported a specific candidate to replace Schumer.
“I’m not actively looking for this position. I’m looking for change,” Slotkin said. “I’ve been saying for a very long time that we need a new generation of leaders… It’s important to demonstrate that we’ve heard what people want from this last election.”
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Sanders and Slotkin join many Senate newcomers in opposing Schumer’s re-election, including Senators-elect Adam Hamilton and Troy Jackson.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee headquarters November 4, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
A number of more left-leaning Democrats favor Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, for the new leader.
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“I’ve been very clear that we need to have a discussion within the Democratic caucus,” Van Hollen said during an appearance at Crooked Con this weekend.
“We need to understand what Democrats are going to do with this new responsibility and these new powers,” he continued. “And that no one should be given a blank check without the caucus fully understanding where we are going to go.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., speaks as he campaigns for Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, D-Mich., during a campaign rally in Ferndale, Michigan, July 25, 2026. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters)
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And Van Hollen, who previously said he was more focused on “kicking the tires” when running for higher office in 2028, is reportedly mulling a bid for Schumer’s job, according to Politico.
Alex Miller of Fox News contributed to this report.
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