Bernie Sanders publicly opposes Chuck Schumer as next Senate Majority Leader

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is publicly opposing longtime Senator Chuck Schumer of New York in his bid to become the next Senate Majority leader when the new Congress is installed in early January. Schumer held the leadership role during Joe Biden's lone term as president and is making a run at returning to the post.  Sanders vocally opposed Schumer's bid, posting a video on X to make is opposition clear. “I personally have known Chuck Schumer for over 30 years, and I like Chuck. Nobody who works harder than Chuck Schumer,” Sanders said in the video. “But in my view, the time is now for change, and I will not be supporting Chuck to be re-elected as the Democratic leader.” The video contains all sorts of melodrama, including slow motion shots of the senator walking with a serious look on his face. 

The longtime senator pivots in the video to his signature talking points assailing the "billionaire class." On Tuesday, Sanders went so far as to say he believes another senator will step up to challenge Schumer for the top job in the senate. "He's not going to run unopposed, I don't think," Sanders said, according to Bloomberg News. 

Other influential Democrats are voicing opposition to Schumer as well, including Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Politico reported, and the new junior senator from Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, who accepted millions in campaign donations from Schumer's political action committee during his run against Republican Mike Rogers.

AOC, who's in the House but as seen as someone who might challenge Schumer for his Senate seat when he's up for re-election in 2028, also declined to endorse Schumer.

None of this has seemed to faze the 76-year-old senator, however. “I’m confident I will be elected majority leader," Schumer said. "And our caucus is really united on bringing down costs, on ending the corruption, on ending the chaos, on ending the war. We have great unity in our caucus and I’ll be proud to lead it as majority leader." Below, watch Sanders' remarks on why he's opposing Schumer.