The immediate question for Senate Democrats is whether Chuck Schumer will retain the party leadership post—and what priorities members will expect from whoever leads them. At a Washington, D.C., event Saturday, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin said she would not vote for Schumer without a concrete plan for the next Congress’s first 100 days, according to the event’s organizers.
Slotkin made the remarks at Crooked Con, an annual political conference hosted by Crooked Media, a company founded by former aides to President Barack Obama. Asked about a possible challenge to Schumer, she did not rule one out, according to USA Today. “I would certainly not vote for him if we don’t have a plan for the first 100 days of the next Congress,” she said, according to Politico. Politico also reported that Slotkin said “no one person can claim credit” for the party’s election-night success.
A Party Still Riding Its Midterm Wave
Democrats won majority control of both chambers of Congress in sweeping midterm victories, and Slotkin described the result as a mandate for change. “We need a new generation of leadership. We couldn’t have gotten a clearer signal than Tuesday,” she said, according to USA Today. Democratic lawmakers are now set to choose party leaders to guide legislative priorities for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s administration, the outlet reported.
Schumer has led Senate Democrats in both the majority and minority since 2017, according to Al-Monitor. The Olympian describes the debate as part of a broader party divide, with established moderates and younger, more progressive members contesting its direction after the 2026 midterms.
Newly Elected Senators Weigh In
Some incoming Democratic senators have not said whether they will support Schumer. USA Today reported that newly elected members are weighing whether he is the right leader and want someone able to deliver on campaign promises. Juliana Stratton, Peggy Flanagan, Chris Pappas and James Talarico had sidestepped the question for months, according to Yahoo News. Talarico and Pappas remained uncommitted, Newsweek reported.
Calls to replace Schumer have grown after the party’s midterm victory, according to Al-Monitor.
Rules for the Leadership Vote
The Senate Democratic Caucus’s posted rules, which list revisions through Dec. 21, 2022, make the Whip the presiding officer during an election for Democratic Leader, who otherwise chairs the Conference. The rules also require contested elections for listed Conference officers to be held in person under Rule V’s balloting procedures.
Schumer Camp Says Votes Are Locked In
Schumer has indicated he has the votes, according to Newsweek. The New York Times reported that some senators, including newly elected members, oppose his continued leadership, but no Democrat had formally entered a challenge. Democrats were projected to gain at least seven and potentially nine Senate seats in the midterms.
Schumer said earlier in the week that he expects to be reelected as majority leader. Roll Call reported that the vote would likely take place in early December, by secret ballot, and include senators-elect. The run-up gives members time to debate both the leadership choice and the agenda Slotkin says should accompany it.
What Can Limit a First-100-Days Agenda?
A leadership plan can set priorities, but it cannot by itself ensure legislation advances. PBS explains that ending debate through cloture can require 60 votes, a procedural hurdle between setting an agenda and reaching a final vote: PBS.
Who Is Elissa Slotkin
Slotkin, who describes herself as a moderate Democrat, was elected to the Senate in 2024 after serving in the House from 2019 until that election, according to USA Today. Before entering Congress, she worked as a CIA analyst, served three tours alongside the military in Iraq, and held national security roles at the Pentagon and White House under the Bush and Obama administrations, the outlet reported.
