Sanders won't back Schumer as Democratic leader in new Congress

Washington — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Tuesday helium won't enactment New York Sen. Chuck Schumer arsenic Democratic person erstwhile the enactment takes power of the Senate, becoming the astir salient progressive to reason his candidacy to date.

Sanders made the announcement astatine a property league astatine the Capitol, saying past week's midterm elections were "about change." Democrats volition power astatine slightest 54 seats erstwhile the 120th Congress convenes successful January.

"It was an predetermination crossed the country, successful reddish states and bluish states, wherever radical were looking astir them and saying, 'What is going connected successful America, erstwhile I americium struggling to enactment nutrient connected the table, wage for healthcare, wage for housing, and I'm disquieted not lone that my beingness economically is going nowhere, everything being equal, my kid successful the richest state successful the past of the satellite is going to person the lowest modular of surviving than I do?' And portion each of this is going on, the billionaire people has ne'er ever had it truthful good," Sanders said.

He added: "I personally person known Chuck Schumer for implicit 30 years, and I similar Chuck. Nobody who works harder than Chuck Schumer. But successful my view, the clip is present for change, and I volition not beryllium supporting Chuck to beryllium reelected arsenic the Democratic leader."

Sanders, an autarkic who caucuses with the Democrats, called for "a vigorous statement astir the absorption of the Democratic Party." 

"We request to person that retired successful the unfastened to amusement the American radical that a caller time has travel and that their votes meant a caller absorption successful Washington," helium said.

Sanders appeared alongside Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who said that "whoever wants to tally this caucus should travel guardant with a program connected however they're going to govern differently, what they're going to bash successful the archetypal 100 days to enactment wealth successful people's pockets, and past successful peculiar however they're going to pass differently."

Slotkin said she is "not actively seeking this job" but is "seeking change."

"Whoever wants my ballot is going to person to amusement maine a factual program that's definitively different," Slotkin said. "I'm a nary until and unless I spot that from anyone."

No contender has emerged to situation Schumer's relation atop the Senate Democratic caucus, but Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has travel the closest to throwing his chapeau successful the ring. After initially saying helium would not prosecute the position, Van Hollen has said this week that he's exploring a imaginable run.

"What I've said from the precise opening is, we shouldn't person a coronation," helium said connected Monday. "I'm successful listening mode and haven't unopen the door."

At an lawsuit connected Tuesday, Van Hollen said helium is "in the process close present of calling my colleagues."

"I'm actively calling my colleagues due to the fact that astatine the extremity of the day, this is simply a ballot successful the Democratic caucus," helium said.

Democrats are expected to clasp their enactment elections successful aboriginal December.