Bernie Sanders says he won’t support Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., announced Tuesday he won’t support Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to be majority leader for the next two years after Democrats’ big 2026 victories.

“I personally have known Chuck Schumer for over 30 years, and I like Chuck. [There’s] nobody who works harder than Chuck Schumer. But in my view, the time is now for change, and I will not be supporting Chuck to be re-elected as the Democratic leader,” Sanders said at a news conference.

Sanders, who is in line to chair the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, becomes a high-profile opponent with inside power and grassroots clout when it comes to Schumer’s staying on as leader.

Schumer has spent a decade as caucus leader and is vying for another two years after having led his party to a net pickup of at least seven Senate seats in the midterm elections, with Mississippi and Alaska still counting votes as two more prospects. Senate Democrats won’t elect their new leadership until next month.

The progressive wing of the party has been calling for Schumer to step aside, while some new Democratic senators haven’t committed to support him. He’ll need a majority of the caucus to win another term as leader.

Standing next to Sanders at Tuesday’s news conference was Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who has similarly called for a change of leadership without backing an alternative candidate.

“I am not actively seeking this job. I am seeking change,” she said. “I’ve been very consistent for a very long time that we need a new generation of leadership. ... It’s important to demonstrate that we’ve heard what people want from this last election.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., whom grassroots progressive advocates are drafting to challenge Schumer, said Tuesday he’s still “actively listening” to colleagues about a potential run.

But he wouldn’t say whether he’ll jump in the race.

“We should not have a coronation,” Van Hollen told reporters in the Capitol. “We should not support anybody for leader without a very clear plan, and as you know, there are many people who think change is required.”

Until a challenger jumps in and gains traction, Schumer is the clear favorite to win and become majority leader. Despite grumbling in his own caucus, Senate Republican leader John Thune of South Dakota was re-elected by his colleagues Tuesday after detractors failed to recruit an opponent.

“Our caucus is really united in focusing on bringing down costs, on ending the corruption, on ending the chaos, on ending the war,” Schumer told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “We have great unity in our caucus, and I’ll be proud to lead it as majority leader.”

Some Democrats credit his role in the election victories and believe he deserves the post.

“When the manager takes you to the World Series, you give them another contract,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., told reporters. “Chuck and I have had our differences, but at the end of the day, it’s time to unify.”

Asked whether he’s supporting Schumer for majority leader, former and returning Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio replied simply: “Yes.”

Sanders wouldn’t say when he was asked by NBC News whether he favors abolishing the filibuster for the upcoming two-year session, a cause that some on the left are pushing for. It would allow Democrats to pass most legislation without any Republican support, but the same power could be used against them the next time the GOP takes the majority.

“That’s a very important question, and I haven’t reached an answer on it. I think there are a lot of reasons to support it, and that is the majority — we believe the majority rule, not necessarily having 40 people be able to deny what the majority wants,” Sanders said. “I am worried about protecting minority rights, as well.”

Sanders pointed to the “reconciliation” process, which allows the majority party to pass some legislation on its own, as long as it’s related to spending and taxes; Republicans used the process to pass President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”

“What I do believe, absolutely,” Sanders continued, “is that we can, with a major budget reconciliation bill, do a whole lot.”

Zara Morris contributed.