Democratic support for Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) is approaching double digits as no other competitors come forward to challenge him for the role of Senate whip.
At least eight Democrats will be voting for Schatz when the Senate holds internal leadership elections next year, while two more are strongly leaning “yes.”
Sen. Angus King (I-ME), an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, told the Washington Examiner he “most likely” will support him. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said he was “very favorably inclined” to Schatz.
Schatz has moved quickly to consolidate support, making phone calls to his Democratic colleagues shortly after Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the current whip, announced last week that he would retire from the post in 2027.
But the sheer number of endorsements, just 24 hours after Schatz launched his bid, is striking for an election that is an internal caucus decision. In the race to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as GOP leader last year, only a few Republicans were willing to choose between the three candidates running ahead of time.
Most Democrats are still unwilling to comment on the race given new challengers might emerge. In a caucus with 47 members, a handful of whom are retiring, Schatz has a ways to go before he locks down the votes.
The early endorsements have nonetheless created a sense of momentum for Schatz, the top deputy on Durbin’s whip team, that could dissuade competition.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who is helping Schatz with outreach to colleagues, claimed that he’s already “pretty close” to winning majority support.
“I think he’ll have the votes,” Kelly told the Washington Examiner.
Schatz himself was unwilling to discuss his internal whip count in a brief hallway interview.
There are two Democrats seen as possible challengers to Schatz — Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the No. 3 Senate Democrat, and Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democratic appropriator — but neither has expressed public interest.
“I’m focused on my job and taking care of people,” Murray, who left Senate leadership two years ago, said on Tuesday.
A day earlier, Klobuchar called such an early focus on the whip race a “mistake” given there are 19 months between now and the vote, to be held shortly after the midterm elections.
Several Democratic senators also told the Washington Examiner they had not received calls from Klobuchar or Murray but had spoken with Schatz.
“I do want to see if anybody else puts their hat in the ring, because I think I would at least owe a colleague to listen to them first, but nobody else has reached out to me,” Kaine said.
Two members of Durbin’s whip team, Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), will support Schatz, as will Schatz’s home state colleague, Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI).
Schatz also received an endorsement from Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), the No. 4 Senate Democrat, on Friday as Booker took his name out of contention.
Other high-profile Democrats plan to stay neutral, however, including Durbin, who has held the role of whip for two decades, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), a close friend of Schatz, is declining to weigh in as well.
“I’m not having these discussions with you guys,” Murphy said on Tuesday. “I think it’s an internal caucus discussion.”
The other Democrats supporting Schatz are Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Fetterman (D-PA). The Washington Examiner is maintaining a running list at the bottom of this story.
Most Democrats, even those remaining neutral for now, spoke highly of Schatz in interviews. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), in particular, was effusive, calling him an effective communicator who could handle the nitty-gritty of corralling Democratic votes.
“It does sound that way, doesn’t it?” Hickenlooper chuckled when the Washington Examiner said he sounded like a “yes.”
HOW TRUMP COULD CIRCUMVENT SCHUMER’S BLOCKADE ON NEW YORK PROSECUTORS
Others echoed Klobuchar in noting the caucus has months to decide despite the early jockeying.
“That election is almost two years away,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). “I like Brian. He’s a good colleague. We’ve done good work together on Appropriations, but I’m not taking any public position on an election that doesn’t happen until January of ’27.”