Sen. Bernie Sanders says he will not support Sen. Chuck Schumer as Senate Democratic majority leader in the new Congress, setting him up as a leading progressive opponent to Schumer. Multiple outlets report Sanders made the announcement to reporters on Tuesday.
The coverage places the decision in the context of Democratic gains in recent midterm elections, with outlets describing it as part of wider tensions inside the Senate Democratic caucus over leadership after the party’s sweep. Several sources frame Sanders as one of the most prominent progressives to publicly break with Schumer, highlighting divisions between progressive and more centrist Democrats.
While most accounts focus on Sanders’s refusal, some add extra context about the push for “change” and the prospect of alternative leadership. The Hill also names Sen. Elissa Slotkin as another senator who will not back Schumer, further underscoring the breadth of opposition.
