Israel critic Chris Van Hollen to challenge Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters following a Democratic policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Building on November 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. Courtesy of Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images (New York Jewish Week) — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the most senior Jewish elected official in U.S. history, is facing a leadership challenge after Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats in midterm elections last week. The Democratic takeover of the Senate has led to some carping that he is too old, moderate or not aggressive enough against President Donald Trump to be the majority leader.Schumer has led the Senate’s Democratic caucus since 2017, including as majority leader from 2021 until 2025. A pro-Israel stalwart who prides himself as a Shomer Yisrael (“guardian of Israel”), Schumer has found himself increasingly out of step on Israel-related matters with the party’s caucus and its voters.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.