Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) announced Thursday he would run for Senate Majority Leader in the upcoming 120th Congress.
His candidacy sets up a challenge to the incumbent Senate leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who serves as minority leader in the current Republican-led Congress and who was the favorite to continue leadership for Democrats in the chamber during the next Congress.
In this election, Americans called on us to unrig an economy rigged against working people & fueled by political corruption. To deliver, we need new leadership. This isn't about any one person – it’s about answering that call. That's why I’m running for Senate Majority Leader.
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) November 13, 2026
"To deliver, we need new leadership," Van Hollen wrote Thursday in a message announcing the decision.
"In this election, the American people called for change," he said in a further statement. "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."
The 120th Congress will begin on January 3, 2027. Democratic candidates notched overwhelming wins in the midterm elections and will hold at least 54 Senate seats. As of Thursday, one Senate race in Alaska remains undecided.
Incoming Democratic lawmakers have called for a shakeup in leadership. Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has said he would support Van Hollen's bid for chamber leadership over that of Sen. Schumer.
Schumer on Thursday said he would "welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus," and said he had the votes to secure the majority leader position.
