Sanders rejects Schumer leadership bid as calls for change grow

Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday, November 10, that he would oppose Chuck Schumer’s re-election as Senate Democratic leader, adding his voice to calls for new leadership following the party’s sweeping midterm election wins. Despite the growing pressure, no Democrat has stepped forward to challenge Schumer, who has led the Senate Democrats since 2017.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Sanders said his decision came despite a personal relationship with Schumer spanning more than 30 years and his respect for the New York senator’s work ethic. The 85-year-old Vermont independent, who caucuses with Democrats, argued that the election results showed voters wanted change and that the party needed a bold new direction.

Sanders also called for a process that would allow Democrats to debate their choice of leader vigorously. His announcement comes amid a broader push to reconsider the party’s leadership, an issue that has gained prominence since Joe Biden abandoned his re-election campaign in 2024 amid concerns about his age. The midterm victories have given those demands fresh momentum.

Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen raised similar concerns during a live interview at a Washington post-election conference organized by the progressive group Groundwork Collaborative on Tuesday. He said voters had clearly expressed a desire for change and questioned whether Senate Democrats were listening. Van Hollen, whom some have suggested as a possible successor to Schumer, said he was contacting colleagues to assess support for changing the leadership.

Although Van Hollen did not explicitly call for Schumer’s removal, he argued that the leadership election should involve a democratic contest rather than an automatic endorsement. Elissa Slotkin, a moderate Democratic senator from battleground Michigan, also urged prospective candidates to present their plans. She said the election demonstrated Americans’ appetite for change, while making clear she was not actively pursuing the Senate majority leadership role.

Several prominent incoming Democratic senators have also expressed support for new leadership. They include Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated a Schumer-backed candidate for the Democratic nomination, Kansas’s Adam Hamilton, South Carolina’s Annie Andrews, New Hampshire’s Chris Pappas, Maine’s Troy Jackson and Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan.

Schumer has continued to express confidence that he will become Senate majority leader again. After predicting his re-election to reporters the previous week, he repeated that position on Tuesday in response to the announcements from Sanders and Slotkin.

Schumer said Senate Democrats were united around reducing costs and ending corruption, chaos and the war. He maintained that the caucus shared strong unity and said he would be proud to lead it as majority leader.