Sen. Brian Schatz inched forward Tuesday in his bid to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin as the No. 2 Senate Democrat — even as some Democratic senators said it’s too early to even talk about a leadership contest more than a year away.
Schatz’s latest round of supporters includes Sens. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), John Fetterman (Pa.), Ben Ray Lujan (N.M.) and Raphael Warnock (Ga.). They add to the handful who are already backing Schatz, a group that includes other members of the leadership team.
“Senator Schatz has been an effective leader within the Democratic caucus. I’m confident that as Whip, he will continue his work unifying our caucus and advancing our shared priorities. I’m proud to support Senator Schatz’s candidacy for Whip,” Warnock said in a statement announcing his support for Schatz.
The internal election isn’t until after the 2026 midterms, and many Democrats say they have no plans to engage in the parlor intrigue until that date draws closer. But the race is clearly underway, and Schatz (Hawaii) has an indisputable head start.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is planning to run again for leader but the potential Durbin-to-Schatz handoff underscores broader generational change within the Democratic Party. Durbin has held the caucus’ No. 2 position for roughly 20 years and the party hasn’t had a contested race for a top leadership spot in decades.
Schatz has long been viewed as Durbin’s likely successor and currently serves as chief deputy whip. He began working to lock down support after Durbin officially announced last week his decision to retire at the end of his current term, and officially jumped into the race on Monday.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who is backing Schatz, said he believes the Hawaii senator is close to having the majority needed to win the whip spot. Democrats frequently elect their leadership team by acclamation but if there’s a contested race, a majority of the caucus is needed to win.
Kelly also dismissed the idea that Democrats’ reticence about engaging in the race this early could prevent Schatz from locking down votes. “I think we are capable of doing more than one thing at the same time,” Kelly said.
Schatz could potentially have competition for the whip spot, though Democrats tend to try to work out agreements within the caucus without letting things go to a contested closed-door vote.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) are viewed as two other potential whip contenders. Klobuchar currently serves as the No. 3 Senate Democrat, a position Murray previously held.
Both are keeping a low profile on the matter, telling reporters that they are focused on their current jobs and that there’s a lot of time before Democrats need to make decisions about leadership.
Several Democratic senators have publicly agreed with Klobuchar’s stand, arguing that the caucus should be focused on countering President Donald Trump rather than a leadership election next year. Schumer, asked about Schatz and Klobuchar last week, said it was too early to discuss a potential whip race.
Lisa Kashinsky contributed reporting.
