Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Sunday accused Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer’s team of trying to scare Senate Democrats away from backing his bid for majority leader, pushing back on Schumer’s claim that he already has the votes to stay in charge.
“I think there’s a very open lane here. The Schumer team’s put out a lot of misinformation,” Van Hollen said on ABC’s “This Week.” “They’re essentially trying to instill fear in people who may say that they’re going to support me as a new leader. But that’s part of the problem. That’s part of the old system.”
Van Hollen didn’t specify on ABC what misinformation he was referring to. In a separate interview on “Fox News Sunday,” he claimed Schumer’s team had circulated a list that counted some of his own supporters as votes for Schumer.
Schumer’s team hasn’t released a whip list, and Schumer said in a statement Thursday that he had the votes to remain leader. Van Hollen told Fox he has the support of “about 15 and growing,” up from the more than 10 he cited Thursday.
Van Hollen also told CNN that he saw talk of moving up the Dec. 1 leadership election as a “sign of weakness” and accused Schumer’s team of seeking an earlier vote. Schumer hasn’t publicly weighed in on the timing, and a spokesperson for the senior Democrat has not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Senate Democrats have privately discussed holding the vote before Thanksgiving recess, as POLITICO reported Friday. One option would be for a senator to raise the issue at Tuesday’s caucus lunch. An earlier vote would require Democrats to waive caucus rules, and even some Schumer allies are skeptical it will happen.
Asked on ABC why Democrats should replace Schumer after taking back the Senate, Van Hollen pointed to Mississippi Sen.-elect Scott Colom’s recent win as an example, noting that Washington Democrats were late to get behind Colom’s campaign.
“Look, I respect the work of the DSCC. And I used to chair the DSCC and the DCCC in the House,” Van Hollen said. “But let’s be real. This was not a Washington-orchestrated election around the country. This was the American people rising up against a lawless president and demanding change.” Colom on NBC’s “Meet the Press” said he didn’t know which Democrat he would support.
Van Hollen launched his challenge Thursday. Schumer remains favored, with public backing from Democratic Sens. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Angela Alsobrooks (Md.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.). Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed are backing Van Hollen, and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Minnesota Sen.-elect Peggy Flanagan joined them Friday.
