Following the 2024 election that saw Republicans regain the Senate majority, Democrat senators are gearing up for an internal leadership election to fill key positions in the chamber. The election is set to take place on Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning, with a particular focus on determining who will fill the No. 3 position previously held by a retiring longtime lawmaker.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who lost his position as Senate majority leader in the recent election, is expected to transition to the role of Senate minority leader in 2025. Meanwhile, Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is anticipated to retain his position as the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, serving as minority whip, a role he has held for nearly two decades.
However, the departure of Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who did not seek re-election, has left her policy and communications committee chair position open for contention. Reports suggest that Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., were vying for the No. 3 position, with Klobuchar reportedly in line to secure the leadership post. Booker is expected to assume the No. 4 position in the Senate, although the specifics of this role remain unclear.
During the campaign season, Booker made appearances in various states, including Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, as he sought to increase his visibility across the country.
On the Republican side, Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., was elected in a secret ballot in November to lead the party in the 119th Congress, taking over the No. 1 position in the chamber previously held by Schumer.
