Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan Backs Van Hollen’s bid to unseat Chuck Schumer
November 15, 2026
Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan (D-Minn.) announced Friday she is backing Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in his bid to unseat Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) as Senate Majority Leader.
“Minnesotans are demanding change. We must deliver. That starts with new voices in our leadership.” I believe that we need a new leader and fighter to bring real change to every American — and that’s why I support @ChrisVanHollen, Flanagan said in a statement on X.
Flanagan, who is currently Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, won a high-profile general election race against Republican candidate Michele Tafoya, a former sports broadcaster. Flanagan won her primary race against centrist Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.).
Flanagan’s endorsement is a sign of the political alliances forged during the primary race. While Schumer backed Craig, Van Hollen backed Flanagan, along with other progressive politicians like Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Flanagan campaigned on bringing “radical change,” and advocated for reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement and passing “Medicare for All”.
Flanagan is not the only new voice to back the Maryland Senator. Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D-Mich.) has also pledged his support for Van Hollen. Like in Minnesota, Van Hollen backed El-Sayed in the primary race against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) who had the backing of Schumer.
Van Hollen announced Thursday his bid was in response to the electorate’s frustration over the economy.
“In this election, Americans called on us to unrig an economy rigged against working people & fueled by political corruption.” To fulfill that promise we need new leadership.