Senate Democrats running in key 2026 midterm races are publicly refusing to back Chuck Schumer for continued leadership, with at least one candidate flatly saying he will not support Schumer and others dodging the question entirely.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) declined to say whether he supports Schumer remaining as Senate minority leader. Asked directly by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Van Hollen said he was “focused on the 2026 elections” and deflected repeatedly. “My view is we should get through the 2026 election. See what voters say,” Van Hollen said.
The evasion came as a Politico poll found that 47 percent of Democratic-leaning voters believe Schumer should not remain in party leadership. Only 28 percent said he should keep his role. Collins noted on air that only 3 in 10 Democratic voters hold a “favorable view” of the senator from New York.
Schumer has faced growing pressure inside his own caucus as the party searches for a post-Biden identity ahead of the midterms, according to The Hill.
Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek (D), running against Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson for retiring Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat, also declined to answer whether he would back Schumer in the next Congress.
Troy Jackson (D), the former Maine Senate president challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins, went further. Jackson told The New York Times directly that he would not support Schumer as the party’s leader in the upper chamber.
The pattern reflects a broader Democratic calculation: Schumer is a liability in competitive races and candidates are cutting ties before the November vote.
