Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Thursday that he will run for majority leader, challenging longtime Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
Van Hollen said in a statement that the midterm election results are a sign Americans want “change” not only from “Donald Trump’s disastrous policies” but also from a “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. This is not about any one person — it’s about answering the call of the American people,” he said in the statement.
Van Hollen’s decision is a setback to Schumer, who remains favored to become leader but had previously predicted that he would not have a challenge. Democrats will hold their caucus elections next month.
Van Hollen, 67, is a veteran of Democratic politics and has held public office continuously since 1991. He spent 14 years in the House before being elected to the Senate in 2016. He has become a more outspoken critic of party leadership in recent years, particularly its approach to President Donald Trump and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
