What We Know About Van Hollen's Bid to Oust Schumer

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., announced Thursday that he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for the top Senate Democratic leadership post, setting up the first contested election for the party's Senate leader in decades, according to The Guardian.

What did Van Hollen say?

Van Hollen posted his announcement on social media, framing the challenge around the outcome of the midterm elections. "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," he said, according to the Guardian. He added: "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."

The Guardian describes Van Hollen as the more progressive of the two senators in the race, running against Schumer, the chamber's longtime Democratic leader, who is cast as the caucus's centrist.

How did Schumer respond?

Schumer answered on social media less than a minute after Van Hollen's post, the Guardian reported. "I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead," Schumer wrote. "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. I look forward to leading our new Democratic majority and delivering for the American people."

Schumer's statement points to two numbers he is leaning on heading into the vote: a 55-seat total he calls "amazing," and his own claim that he already "has the votes" to keep the job.

Why is this challenge happening now?

The challenge comes after Democrats swept the midterms, according to the Guardian, which Van Hollen cites as evidence that voters want a shift away from "the status quo." Van Hollen had previously said he was weighing a bid, and Schumer had said in response that he believed he already had the support needed to win, the Guardian reported.

The outlet notes that the question of whether to re-elect Schumer has already split the caucus, with many senators declining to say publicly how they plan to vote. Senators have been discussing privately what message to draw from the election results, the Guardian reported. Schumer's camp points to his role recruiting the party's winning Senate candidates this cycle and raising money on their behalf as part of his case for staying in the job.

How does the leadership vote work?

The election will be decided by a closed-door, secret-ballot vote among Senate Democrats in early December, according to the Guardian. Because the vote is secret, individual senators' positions may not become public before the ballot is cast, which is part of why the current head count is unclear. The Guardian describes this as the first contested leadership election Senate Democrats have held in decades, underscoring how unusual an open challenge to a sitting leader is within the caucus.

What's at stake for Senate Democrats?

The winner will take the gavel as Senate majority leader once Democrats formally take control of the chamber in January, following their midterm gains, the Guardian reported. The outcome will determine whether the caucus's legislative and political strategy going forward is set by Schumer, who has led Senate Democrats through multiple election cycles, or by Van Hollen, who is campaigning explicitly on the idea that the midterm results were a mandate for "new leadership."

What to watch

• Whether individual senators go public with their position before the secret-ballot vote in early December.
• How Schumer's claim of 55 Senate seats and his assertion that he already "has the votes" hold up as senators privately commit.
• Whether other senators who did not initially back Schumer's reelection as leader coalesce around Van Hollen or stay undecided.
• What, if anything, either candidate commits to changing about caucus strategy once Democrats take the majority in January.

The Guardian's report does not include additional candidates in the race, a public whip count, or further detail on how the midterm seat total was reached beyond Schumer's own statement.