Chris Van Hollen announces run for US Senate majority leader, challenging Schumer

Democratic ​US Senator Chris ​Van Hollen said ‌on Thursday ​he would run to be the Senate majority ‌leader, prompting a challenge to Senator Chuck Schumer, following the midterm elections in which ‌their party won a majority in the ‌chamber. Van Hollen, who represents Maryland, said that in the midterm elections, in which Democrats also ⁠secured ​a ⁠majority in the House of Representatives, voters called ⁠for "a change from the status quo that isn't ​working for working people."

"It's now on ⁠us to meet this moment, and to ⁠do ​that we need new leadership," he added. Schumer released a statement of his ⁠own on Thursday, saying he had the votes ⁠to ⁠continue serving as the Democratic leader in the Senate.