There’s a new option for Senate majority leader in the next Congress, and Democrats in the chamber would be wise to consider him.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, announced on Nov. 12 that he would run to be the next leader of the Democrats in the Senate following the blue wave that overtook the 2026 midterms in response to President Donald Trump.
“While, you know, voters have rejected the Trump policies, they’ve not yet hired Democrats,” Van Hollen told Jen Psaki of MS Now. “They’ve given us a chance; we have to earn their trust, and my view is that you can’t earn that trust with old leadership.”
Van Hollen faces off against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, in the fight for control of the party. When the news of Van Hollen’s
challenge went public, Schumer said he was confident he had the votes to lead the party.
“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,” Schumer said on X. “I look forward to leading our new Democratic majority and delivering for the American people.”
I am ecstatic that someone is willing to challenge Schumer, who has become increasingly out of touch with the Democratic Party. When the American people are given options, democracy flourishes. I hope that U.S. senators from all 50 states will seriously consider Van Hollen as a formidable opponent.
The case for Chris Van Hollen over Chuck Schumer is strong
In his conversation with Psaki, Van Hollen laid out his vision for the first 100 days of Congress, saying that Democrats must restore Medicaid funding and find ways to make health care more affordable. He also said investigations into Trump’s corruption, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the war with Iran would be necessary but should be strategic.
Notably, he said that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee should not take money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), putting him at odds with Schumer.
But it is a moment from last year that really defined Van Hollen’s character and should be reason enough for Democratic senators to consider electing him. In April 2025, the senator traveled to El Salvador to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was wrongly deported. In doing this, Van Hollen made it clear that he was willing to fight for all Americans, regardless of their legal status, and willing to draw attention to an issue that many Democrats were not discussing.
All these things put him in a good place to challenge Schumer, who has establishment backing. He is offering a vision for the party, not just that things will continue as usual. It’s giving people hope, and Democrats would be wise to listen to the constituents who want to see him lead the party.
Van Hollen could make the choice interesting for Democrats
Meanwhile, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, have both faced petitions from voters who want to see new leadership in Congress. If these are the leaders we get, we will see the same fight from them that we’ve seen the past two years – i.e., a lot of platitudes.
While Schumer says he has enough votes to be Senate majority leader, Van Hollen could have backing from several colleagues. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed, D-Michigan, and others have come out in support of Van Hollen’s run.
“The American people voted for change,” Sanders shared on social media. “They want a Democratic Party that will stand up to powerful special interests, take on the billionaire class and fight for working families. That is why I am supporting Senator Chris Van Hollen to lead Senate Democrats.”
No matter who wins, it is important that the Democrats provide options for America. Van Hollen is a solid option for leadership, and it’s brave of him to throw his hat in the ring when Schumer is calling this a done deal.
I hope that no matter what happens, Democrats will take this as a sign to be bold in their leadership in the next Congress.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on Bluesky: @sarapequeno.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Slow down, Schumer. Van Hollen is smart option for Democrats | Opinion
