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Abdul El-Sayed’s win in Michigan marks the second primary defeat of a candidate backed by Chuck Schumer — and adds to the Senate minority leader’s potential detractors next year.
El-Sayed wants to replace Schumer atop the caucus with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. Including him, the list of viable Democratic hopefuls who are threatening to oppose Schumer as leader has reached a half-dozen. Three have already won their nominations: El-Sayed, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, and Maine candidate Troy Jackson.
Two more are still in primary fights: Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who is facing Rep. Angie Craig next week, and Rep. Seth Moulton, who is taking on Sen. Ed Markey in Massachusetts; Flanagan and Moulton both said they want to replace Schumer.
Dan Osborn, an independent in Nebraska, said recently he would “probably not” support Schumer as leader if Democrats win back the majority.
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Schumer has mostly taken his antagonists’ jabs on the chin, frequently saying he just wants to win the majority and that flipping the chamber is the “north star” that guides all his actions. He’s also recruited top tier candidates like Mary Peltola in Alaska, Roy Cooper in North Carolina, and Sherrod Brown in Ohio, while expanding the Senate map deep into red territory like Iowa and Texas.
Still, the Democratic leader now faces the possibility of losing at least a handful of votes in the caucus’ post-midterm leadership election, now that his favored candidates in Michigan and Maine have faltered. (Schumer supported Maine Gov. Janet Mills initially in the Maine primary.)
Everyone has their own line on Schumer. Flanagan says “we need a progressive champion to lead Senate Democrats, and that’s not Chuck Schumer.” Jackson said he doesn’t believe Schumer can help the party win back the working class. El-Sayed has said that “I’ve been pretty clear that I’d love to see Chris Van Hollen as Senate majority leader.”
Van Hollen demurred when asked about El-Sayed’s comments.
“My focus is on winning the 2026 Democratic Senate races, and then beyond that, focused on making sure we have a Democratic Party going into 2028 that stands up for working people. I think [El-Sayed’s] a good example of a candidate who stands up for working people,” Van Hollen told Semafor.
Van Hollen has noticed the trend of candidates running against Democratic Party leaders — but he puts it differently: “What they’re doing is running against the Washington establishment.”
Schumer on Wednesday praised El-Sayed for running “an energetic campaign that inspired thousands of Michiganders across the state.” He also predicted on Tuesday that “we’re going to beat the Republicans, we’re going to take Michigan, and we’re going to win back the Senate.”
Asked about the rise of democratic socialists during primary season, he said “being a big tent party is a strength, not a weakness.”
Schumer clearly thought being former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., would be easier with Stevens as the nominee, but Democrats still can’t afford to lose the Wolverine State.
Retaking the majority without Michigan would be “very difficult” for the party, said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., a two-time chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
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- Schumer is, despite Mills’ early loss and the Graham Platner implosion, still very focused on Maine, as we have reported.