Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers path to majority leader took fresh damage Monday as Sen. Richard Blumenthal declined to endorse him and Sen. Chris Van Hollen signaled he is open to a challenge.
Blumenthal told reporters, We need a conversation about leadership going forward because we need new energy and ideas, while still saying he expects Schumer to win because he has not heard of another candidate stepping up. Incoming Michigan Sen. Abdul El-Sayed has already said he would back Van Hollen if the Maryland progressive runs.
Capitol Hill reporting now has Van Hollen open to a run after an outpouring of calls. A person familiar with his thinking described him as in active listening mode, added that the door is not shut, and noted he wants commitments from Schumer before another term while also eyeing a presidential bid.
Grassroots left accounts are already pushing senators to draft Van Hollen, even as it remains unclear whether he would have the votes. Whether he mounts a challenge or uses the threat to extract concessions, Schumer can no longer treat caucus unity as a given.
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