Schumer and Van Hollen are facing off for Senate majority leader.
asserted
Schumer → face → leader
What do Democrats think?
asserted
Democrats → think → What
Van Hollen says he has support, Schumer says he has the votes to remain leader.
asserted
he → say → votes
Within moments of Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen announcing his intention to challenge Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a race to lead next year’s Senate Democratic majority, endorsements began flying in favor of both candidates.
asserted
endorsements → announce → candidates
Van Hollen branded himself as an “underdog” while announcing his candidacy during an interview on MS Now Thursday night.
asserted
Hollen → brand → MS
But he also said he’d garnered the support of at least 10 senators -- enough to raise eyebrows about his potential to shake up caucus dynamics.
asserted
he → say → dynamics
"We should not be preserving our institutions if they are not delivering for the American people, and we should be making delivering for the American people the single mission of our government, even when that means shaking things up, and that is why I'm running for the majority leader in the United States Senate
asserted
I → preserve → Senate
,” Van Hollen said during a summit event in Denver, Colorado on Friday.
asserted
Hollen → say → Friday
Support from newly elected senators
Already, Van Hollen has garnered critical support among some members of the incoming freshmen class.
asserted
Hollen → elect → class
“The American public spoke clearly last week.
asserted
public → speak → ?
They rejected Trumpism.
asserted
They → reject → Trumpism
But we have yet to earn our mandate.
asserted
we → have → mandate
That will require bold leadership.
asserted
That → require → leadership
I called on Sen. @ChrisVanHollen to lead our caucus as a candidate back in April because he leads with courage and experience.
asserted
he → call → courage
We need both right now.
asserted
We → need → both
Which is why I’m proud to stand with him in his bid to lead our Senate majority,” Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed posted on X Thursday night.
asserted
Sayed → ’m → X
Minnesota Sen.-elect Peggy Flanagan also threw her support behind Van Hollen.
asserted
Flanagan → throw → Hollen
“Minnesotans are demanding change.
asserted
Minnesotans → demand → change
Democrats need to deliver.
asserted
Democrats → need → ?
That starts with new voices in our leadership.
asserted
That → start → leadership
I believe @ChrisVanHollen is the leader and fighter we need to bring about real change, so no American is left behind,” Flanagan posted on X on Friday morning.
asserted
Flanagan → believe → morning
It’s not just new members backing Van Hollen.
asserted
It → ’ → Hollen
Sen. Bernie Sanders, a longtime face of the progressive movement, called for a change in leadership before backing Van Hollen.
asserted
Sanders → call → Hollen
The Democratic Party must CHANGE.
asserted
Party → change → ?
Now is the time to take on the oligarchs and fight for working families,” Sanders posted on X. “That is why I will be supporting Chris Van Hollen for Majority Leader.”
asserted
I → take → Leader
Sanders’ endorsement went further than a handful of other Democrats, who have called for a change in the party leadership without endorsing any particular candidate.
asserted
who → go → candidate
Sen. Elissa Slotkin along with a number of other incoming Democrats, fall into this category.
asserted
Slotkin → fall → category
Schumer's not sweating it
But Schumer, who led Senate Democrats for nearly 10 years, doesn’t seem to be sweating it.
asserted
who → sweat → it
In a post on social media Thursday night that came within seconds of Van Hollen announcing his intent to challenge him, Schumer said he’d already clinched the necessary votes to be re-elected as leader for what would be a sixth two-year term.
asserted
what → come → leader
Democrats picked up a whopping eight seats during the midterm elections, something Schumer claims partial credit for.
uncertain
Schumer → pick → credit
When the new Senate is sworn in in January, Democrats will go from being the minority party to holding at least a 55-45 seat majority.
asserted
Democrats → swear → majority
The Senate race in Alaska has yet to be projected, but a Democratic victory there could secure Democrats an even larger share of seats.
uncertain
victory → have → seats
“I welcome any discussion about the future of our caucus and the important work ahead.
asserted
I → welcome → caucus
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together -- 55 seats and counting is an amazing result -- and I have the votes to continue serving as Democratic Leader,” Schumer said.
asserted
Schumer → ’m → Leader
Endorsements for Schumer followed almost immediately after.
asserted
Endorsements → follow → Schumer
“Chuck Schumer is one of the principal architects of the most successful election in modern history, and I see no reason to change the leadership that helped make that success possible,” Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, said in a statement.
asserted
who → see → statement
“Why would you fire the manager when you just won the World Series?”
asserted
you → fire → Series
Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada joined King and a number of her colleagues in highlighting Schumer’s role in helping Democrats to secure their resounding majority in the midterms.
asserted
Democrats → join → midterms
“I’ve seen up close how hard @SenSchumer works for our entire caucus.
asserted
@SenSchumer → see → caucus
He did the work to deliver what will soon be a 56-seat Senate majority against all odds, and I know he has the experience and the fight to continue leading our diverse caucus at this crucial moment.
asserted
he → do → moment
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
