Democrats Gather in Denver After Midterm Gains as Van Hollen Challenges Schumer
Photo: APDemocratic officials and strategists gathered in Denver on Thursday for the two-day What's Next conference, hosted by a new group called Majority Democrats, after what the Associated Press called the party's best electoral performance in half a century. The event was scheduled months earlier as the party looked to move beyond its post-2024 setback. Democrats now hold majorities in both chambers of Congress and control of at least 12 new state legislative chambers. Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said the fever had broken and the fog had lifted. Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico said voters could not wait two years for President Donald Trump to leave office and urged Democrats to avoid petty fights and excessive caution. Former Attorney General Eric Holder said it was not a time for timidity.
On Thursday evening, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland announced a challenge to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, saying the party needed new leadership to deliver on its election promises. Several Democratic senators said they would back him or were open to talks. Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said Friday she was not voting for Schumer. Van Hollen said he had spoken with Schumer and that both expected a competition.
HuffPost, on the left, runs the AP report and leads with the celebration and the agenda for the new majorities. It features Landrieu, Talarico and Holder urging boldness and unity, and its excerpt does not mention the leadership fight. The Washington Examiner, on the right, leads with division over who will lead congressional Democrats in January 2027. It puts Van Hollen's challenge to Schumer and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the center and quotes Van Hollen and Slotkin, and its headline says the push for new leadership overshadows the celebrations. Both agree on the conference, the gains and the setting. They differ over whether unity or internal conflict is the main story. The AP version matches the left's framing.
How the sides differ Left sources emphasize Democrats' celebration and calls for bold action; right sources stress the leadership split and Van Hollen's challenge to Schumer; the alternative AP report matches the left's framing.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
HuffPost, running the AP report, leads with Democrats celebrating their gains and planning an agenda, featuring Landrieu, Talarico and Holder urging boldness and avoiding infighting.
AP's report is the same text HuffPost carries, framing the gathering as a post-midterms introspection that turned into a celebration.
The Washington Examiner leads with leadership divisions, focusing on Van Hollen's challenge to Schumer, Slotkin's refusal to back Schumer, and the strain on Schumer and Jeffries.