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Chris Van Hollen announces run for US Senate majority leader, challenging Schumer

By Thomson Reuters Nov 12, 2026 | 8:28 PM

WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) – Democratic US Senator Chris Van Hollen said on ​Thursday he would run ‌to be the Senate majority leader, prompting a challenge to Senator Chuck Schumer, following ‌the ​midterm elections in ⁠which their ⁠party won a majority in the chamber.

Van Hollen, who represents Maryland, said that ​in the midterm elections, in which Democrats also ⁠secured a ⁠majority in the House ​of Representatives, voters called for “a ​change from the status ‌quo that isn’t working for working people.”

“It’s now on us to meet ⁠this moment, and to do that we need new leadership,” he ⁠added.

Schumer ‌released a statement ⁠of his own on ​Thursday, ‌saying he had the ​votes ⁠to continue serving as the Democratic leader in the Senate.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by ​Thomas Derpinghaus)