By Chuck Schumer helped Democrats win back the Senate. His old schoolmate Bernie Sanders would like somebody else to run it. The Vermont independent told Jon Stewart he’ll back Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen if he challenges Schumer for Democratic leader.
Appearing on The Weekly Show, Sanders recalled that he and Schumer grew up in Brooklyn and attended the same elementary school. He described the New York Democrat as “very nice” and praised his work ethic. The trouble came when Stewart asked what Democrats had to show for all that work and whether Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries were the right men to lead the party’s new congressional majorities.
“This gets into and it’s a much larger debate and it is very heated about whether Chuck Schumer should continue to be the majority leader of the Senate when it goes back over in January into that session, Hakeem Jeffries as well. Is he too tied to status quo solutions that maybe haven’t worked in the past? Is he too tied to the kinds of parliamentary protocols of the Senate and too deferential?” Stewart asked.
“I think Chuck’s views, you know when you talk about status quo politics, that’s what you’re talking about in terms of Chuck. Do I think we need new leadership which is going to move the Democratic Party in a much more vigorous way to protect the needs of working families? Yes, I do. Absolutely,” Sanders said.
Stewart had his own doubts about the value of Schumer’s years in Washington. “His institutional knowledge is helpful, but if it’s not helpful to utilize to move the system urgently, then what are we doing?” the host said. When Stewart pressed him for a name, Sanders gave him one.
“People are sick and tired of the status quo. We cannot have leadership in the Democratic Party who are going to do the same old, same old,” Sanders said. “We need to stand up for working families, take on the big money interests and improve life for ordinary people. So that is what I think we have got to do. You ask their names. Chris Van Hollen is one guy who has indicated he might be interested in running for leader. If he chooses to do that, I will support him.”
Van Hollen has said that he’ll get rid of the filibuster if he’s the leader.
🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL: Chris Van Hollen CONFIRMS he's NUKING the filibuster as soon as he becomes Senate Majority Leader
Senate Republicans sat there for 2 years on preserving "tradition" and Dems are laughing in their FACE 😠
"That means allowing a majority of senators to answer… https://t.co/Cp9LFwznAT pic.twitter.com/qxzvvYM4bY
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 13, 2026
Sanders spent part of last year making much the same pitch alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on their Fighting Oligarchy tour. In Denver, the pair drew 34,000 people, a rally Sanders aides described as the largest of his career. Those crowds gave the left an audience after Democrats lost the White House. The Senate leadership election gives Sanders a chance to see how many of his colleagues are willing to vote with him now that Democrats have won.
Van Hollen is still sounding out colleagues, but one incoming senator has already offered him his vote. In Michigan, the Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC spent or committed more than $43 million on advertising after Labor Day to help elect Abdul El-Sayed. Two days before the election, Schumer defended his nominee when Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed won the seat. One of the first things he did with it was tell Schumer he’d prefer Van Hollen.
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