Sanders Says He Won't Back Schumer for Senate Democratic Leader; Ocasio-Cortez Declines to Endorse

Status: Sen. Bernie Sanders said Tuesday he will not back Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate Democratic leader. No challenger has announced a formal campaign for the post. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declined to endorse Schumer, saying the decision belongs to senators.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, told reporters Tuesday that he will not support Chuck Schumer for Senate Democratic leader in the new Congress, the Washington Times and Common Dreams report. "This election was about change. People want new leadership here in the Senate, so I will not be supporting Chuck," Sanders said, according to both outlets.

Asked whether he would maintain that position if Schumer ran unopposed, Sanders said, "Well, he's not going to run unopposed, I don't think," the Washington Times and Common Dreams reported. No senator has announced a formal challenge. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has said he is considering a bid and, Common Dreams reported, has described himself as "in listening mode." Sanders declined to say whether he is encouraging Van Hollen to run. "Chris will make up his own mind about that," he said, according to the Washington Times.

Common Dreams, citing C-SPAN, also quoted Sanders as saying, "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." Common Dreams reported that Senate Democrats are expected to hold a leadership vote next month. The Hill reports that Schumer has said he has already secured enough support to become Senate leader.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, asked by reporters outside the Capitol whether she would back her home-state senator for the post, did not endorse him and said the choice belongs to the Senate, The Hill reported. "I think that this is a sentiment that is seen in a lot of places," she said. "So how the Senate navigates that, that's up to their decision." The Hill also reported that several incoming Senate Democrats have said they will not back Schumer.

Leonard's account of a 'living hell' warning

Separately, Rep.-elect Don Leonard, a Democrat from Ohio, said in a video published by Drop Site News and reported by Newsweek that senior House Democrats had warned him about conditioning his vote for House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker. According to that account, he was told "in no uncertain terms" to drop two conditions for backing Jeffries: "Number one, getting a constitutional amendment to end Citizens United. Number two, ending U.S. support for the war in Iran and the country, Israel, that led us into it." Leonard said that if he kept those conditions, the party would make his life "a living hell" for the next two years in Washington and would work to ensure he loses in 2028.

That is Leonard's own account. He did not name the members he said issued the warning, and AFNS has not independently verified the conversation. Leonard said he was still trying to meet with Jeffries. His comments come as some incoming House Democrats have not committed to supporting Jeffries for speaker, as reported in Some Incoming House Democrats Haven't Committed to Jeffries for Speaker, Fox News Reports.

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• Some Incoming House Democrats Haven't Committed to Jeffries for Speaker, Fox News Reports