A Rough November for Senate Democrats

“Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s announcement Thursday night, making his rumored challenge to longtime Democratic leader Chuck Schumer official, sets up an intense weekslong pressure campaign,” Politico reports.

“The dozens of Democratic senators who have been lying low, hoping to avoid a contested race as the party base clamors for new leadership, will now find it harder to hide.”

“That threatens to publicly divide the caucus — and risks frustrating colleagues — at an otherwise triumphant moment. Senate Democrats began discussing their agenda for their first days in the majority this week in hopes of hitting the ground running in January. Now they are staring down weeks of attention on other matters.”

“Democrats are already discussing if they can short-circuit a drawn out leadership fight by moving up their leadership elections to next week… Otherwise, the secret-ballot election will take place on Dec. 1.”