Sen. Bernie Sanders said Tuesday that he will not back Sen. Chuck Schumer for another term as Democratic leader after the party’s strong showing in the 2026 midterms. Speaking at a news conference, Sanders noted that he has known Schumer for more than 30 years and likes him personally.
“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, according to NBC News.
Sanders is set to chair the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. That position gives him both formal power inside the Senate and influence with progressive voters outside it. Schumer has led the Democratic caucus for a decade and is seeking two more years in the role. Democrats gained a net of at least seven Senate seats under his leadership, and votes are still being counted in Mississippi and Alaska.
Lawmakers share differing positions on the path forward for Democratic leadership
Sen. Elissa Slotkin stood beside Sanders at the event and has also urged a change in leadership. She has not named anyone else for the job. “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.”
The progressive wing of the party has pressed Schumer to step aside. Some newly elected Democratic senators have not yet said whether they will support him. Schumer needs a majority of the caucus to remain leader, and Democrats are not scheduled to choose their leadership team until next month.
Progressive advocates are urging Sen. Chris Van Hollen to challenge Schumer. On Tuesday, he said he is still “actively listening” to colleagues about a possible run, but he declined to say whether he will enter 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 another candidate steps forward and builds support, Schumer remains the clear favorite to win the post and serve as majority leader. On the Republican side, Senate Minority Leader John Thune of South Dakota was re-elected by his colleagues on Tuesday after critics failed to find an opponent.
Schumer told reporters Tuesday afternoon that the caucus is focused on shared goals. “Our caucus is really united in focusing on bringing down costs, on ending the corruption, on ending the chaos, on ending the war,” he said. “We have great unity in our caucus, and I’ll be proud to lead it as majority leader.”
Some Democrats point to the recent election results as a reason to keep him in place. Sen. Ruben Gallego told reporters, “When the manager takes you to the World Series, you give them another contract.” He added, “Chuck and I have had our differences, but at the end of the day, it’s time to unify.” Asked if he supports Schumer for majority leader, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio answered simply, “Yes.”
Sanders has clashed with fellow Democrats before, including his fury over the shutdown vote. He declined to say whether he supports ending the filibuster for the next two years, a step some Democrats want so the majority can pass bills without Republican votes.
“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,” the Vermont senator continued. He noted that the reconciliation process already lets the majority pass certain spending and tax measures on its own, the same process Republicans used for President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” “What I do believe, absolutely, is that we can, with a major budget reconciliation bill, do a whole lot,” he said.
Published: Nov 11, 2026 01:45 pm