Senate Dems break 32-year drought on leadership challenges
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As House Democrats barrel toward a speakership coronation, Senate Dems are getting their first contested race for leader in over 30 years.
Why it matters: Democrats have spent years tearing themselves apart over the party's direction — without forcing their leaders to win a head-to-head vote.
- Senate Democrats will get that fight this year for the first time since Tom Daschle vs. Chris Dodd in 1994 — courtesy of Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) challenging Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
- But no one's challenging Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for speaker. The last contested Democratic House leader race was in 2016, when Tim Ryan failed to beat Nancy Pelosi for minority leader.
Between the lines: House Democrats are being bombarded with calls and emails urging them to oppose Jeffries, but the two most frequently floated alternatives — Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) — don't appear to want the job.
- Raskin told Axios that chairing the Judiciary Committee is his "dream job" and that he's "absolutely ... not a candidate for speaker in any way."
- "I am supporting Hakeem and voting for Hakeem," Raskin added.
Pressley has privately told colleagues she isn't interested, multiple House Democrats told Axios.
- "Congresswoman Pressley is in active conversations with Leader Jeffries about how to leverage this majority, meet the moment and deliver for the people," spokesperson Ricardo Sanchez said in a statement to Axios.
- "She is aware of and appreciates the groundswell of support from people in her district and across the country lifting up her leadership."
The big picture: Since the last contested Democratic leadership election, Republicans have endured the rise of MAGA, former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell's fall from power and a revolving door of House GOP leaders.
- In 2018, Kevin McCarthy drubbed Jim Jordan 159–43 to become House minority leader.
- In 2022, McConnell had to beat Rick Scott after the Florida Republican challenged him for Senate GOP leader.
- In 2023, McCarthy needed 15 ballots to become speaker and was ousted later that year. Republicans burned through nominations on Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan before settling on Mike Johnson.
- In 2024, John Thune had to beat two challengers — Rick Scott and John Cornyn — to succeed McConnell as Senate GOP leader.
- In 2026, Jim Jordan ... well, you know what happened. It was Tuesday.
The intrigue: Van Hollen told reporters in Denver on Friday he's stopped "pursuing" a 2028 presidential bid because the "size and scale of these majorities provides an opportunity for the United States Senate to answer the call with the American people."
- Van Hollen is up to five public votes (himself included) ahead of the Dec. 1 secret ballot. Schumer's at 14. The winner will need 29.
Over in the House, the real question at this point feels like whether any House Democrats will oppose Jeffries on the House floor on Jan. 3.
- Jeffries has enjoyed unanimous support from his caucus since becoming leader in 2022 and is "confident that we're on a positive trajectory" but takes "nothing for granted," he told reporters yesterday.
The bottom line: For once it's the Senate, not the House, providing all the drama on Capitol Hill.
