Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer for majority leader

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., announced Thursday he will run for Senate majority leader, becoming the first to challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for the position.

“In this election, the American people called for change. They called for a change from Donald Trump’s disastrous policies — but even bigger than that, a change from the status quo that isn’t working for working people,” Van Hollen said in a statement.

Van Hollen’s move follows attempts by grassroots progressives — and some newly elected Democratic senators — to draft him for the position as some seek an alternative to Schumer.

“It’s now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership. This is not about any one person — it’s about answering the call of the American people. That is why I’m running for Senate Majority Leader,” he added.

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Schumer, who has led the Senate Democratic caucus since 2017, remains favored to retain the position of Democratic leader. Still, it’s likely to be the most serious challenge he has gotten for the job.

Democratic senators will hold a vote in December to choose their leadership for the next Congress. That vote is held behind closed doors and requires a simple majority of the caucus.

Van Hollen plans to run on having the new Democratic majority use every available tool to end the Iran war, starting with the upcoming government funding measure to avoid a December shutdown, according to his team. He’s also proposing to reverse President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” get money out of politics and tackle corruption.

Van Hollen, 67, is newer to Congress than Schumer, 75, but both men have served in Congress for decades. Van Hollen was first elected to the Senate in 2016. Before that, he served in the House for over a decade, beginning in 2003. Schumer was first elected to the House in 1980 and moved up to the Senate in 1999.

Schumer responded on X to Van Hollen’s announcement, asserting he has the votes to win.

“I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together—55 seats and counting is an amazing result—and I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader,” he said. “I look forward to leading our new Democratic majority and delivering for the American people.”