DENVER — Division over who should lead the Democratic Party in Congress in January 2027 has been put on stark display at a celebration of the party’s historic election gains.
At the two-day What’s Next conference in Denver, where strategists and lawmakers are debating the path forward for the Democratic Party, disagreements over the incoming leadership of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) have come to the forefront.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) announced Thursday evening that he was launching a challenge to Schumer’s leadership, saying that to deliver on the promises the party made in the 2026 elections, they “need new leadership.”
Van Hollen’s challenge has scrambled what would otherwise have been a smooth transition in the upper chamber, with several Democratic senators announcing they planned to support his bid or were open to discussions.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) told reporters Friday that she has had “good conversations” with Van Hollen but stopped short of endorsing his bid.
“I’ve been open that I’m not voting for Sen. Schumer,” Slotkin said. “I’ll have more to say about this next week.”
Van Hollen, who spoke Friday at the convention, said he has talked with Schumer about his bid, and that both men “understand that this will be a competition.”
“I think it’s important to give Senate Democrats a choice,” Van Hollen said.
The Maryland senator, who ruled out a 2028 presidential bid in favor of his leadership challenge against Schumer, conceded he is the “underdog” in the race.
“But I can tell you that a lot of my colleagues want to see a whole different approach to governing in the United States Senate and in the Senate Democratic caucus,” he said.
Schumer is not slated to appear at the Denver convention. The Washington Examiner has reached out to his office for comment.
Meanwhile, Jeffries’s first onstage appearance alongside moderator Jessica Tarlov was repeatedly disrupted by protesters. The protesters, who were a part of the progressive Sunrise Movement, pushed for new leadership in the disruptions and attacked the minority leader’s record.
“You are a f***ing liar,” one man screamed at Jeffries.
“So, how about permitting reform?” Tarlov quipped as the protester was escorted out.
“Remember, Jessica, I’m from Brooklyn,” Jeffries said. “This is light work.”
Jeffries is expected to take the speaker’s gavel in January when Democrats take control of the House. He faces no challenger for his speakership bid; however, several incoming freshman Democratic members aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America have declined to commit to support his bid as negotiations continue.
JEFFRIES PANEL DISRUPTED BY PROGRESSIVE PROTESTERS AT POST-ELECTION CONFERENCE
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who supports Jeffries’s speakership bid and is considering a 2028 presidential run, told reporters he planned to meet with some of the protesters on Friday.
“I’m going out there to see some of the protesters,” Khanna said. “Look, I understand that you can’t disrupt speakers, but they should just be, you know … dealt with properly.”