What we covered
• Leadership challenge: Sen. Chris Van Hollen made his first public remarks since announcing a challenge to Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, telling attendees at a Democratic summit that voters have demanded change. Jeff Merkley became the first sitting Democratic senator to endorse Van Hollen’s bid today, after independent Sen. Bernie Sanders backed the challenge to Schumer.
• Looking ahead: The Democratic gathering in Colorado also served as a platform for potential 2028 contenders, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who gave a campaign-style speech. Pete Buttigieg will appear this evening. For his part, Van Hollen said he is not planning a presidential bid.
• More midterm results: In the latest evidence of a midterms landslide, CNN projects that Democrats will win the Kansas and Alaska governor’s races. More than 75% of Americans living in the 50 states will have a Democratic governor once they are sworn in.
Updates
(19)Leadership challenge and 2028 aspirations loom large at Democratic gathering
High-profile Democrats, including potential candidates for the 2028 presidential election, have gathered for a conference in Denver to discuss their resounding success in the midterm elections and the future of the party.
In his first public appearance since announcing his challenge to Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate Democratic leader, Sen. Chris Van Hollen declared that Americans “voted for change.”
“We’ve been given a chance. It’s up to us to meet this moment,” Van Hollen said at the “What’s Next” summit.
Here’s what else has come out of the Democratic conference so far today:
- Van Hollen also announced that he will not run for president in the upcoming election. He had previously told CNN that he was “seriously kicking the tires on the presidential race.”
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered a campaign-style speech as buzz builds about his own 2028 aspirations. “To be fair, the American people did not extinguish the fire on election night but they did call in a new brigade,” Shapiro said.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would take early action in the new Congress to reverse healthcare cuts under the Trump administration. He also said the party would move toward banning congressional stock trading and codifying abortion rights, among other legislative priorities. Jeffries, who is widely expected to become the next House speaker, was heckled by protesters during his remarks, though other attendees tried to drown out the interruptions.
- Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin addressed a letter she received from the US attorney in Texas, saying this is the second time she’s been threatened over potential congressional investigations of the Trump administration. “There’s no better telltale sign of an authoritarian leader devolving than when they start trying to criminally indict people for the words they say against him,” Slotkin said.
- Slotkin also commented on Van Hollen’s challenge of Schumer, saying she is “glad to see there’s more people getting in the race” but stopping short of a full endorsement for the Maryland senator. Slotkin has said she doesn’t plan to vote for Schumer to be Senate majority leader.
CNN’s Morgan Rimmer, Kaanita Iyer, Ellis Kim, Aditi Sangal contributed reporting.
Sen. Jeff Merkley endorses Chris Van Hollen for majority leader
Democrat Jeff Merkley has endorsed Sen. Chris Van Hollen for majority leader, becoming the first sitting Democratic senator to endorse Van Hollen’s challenge to Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“Americans are desperate to restore government by and for the people, not the privileged and powerful. We need leadership that carries that responsibility in their heart and gut,” Merkley wrote on X.
Merkley’s endorsement comes after independent Sen. Bernie Sanders backed Van Hollen’s bid.
The closed-ballot leadership election is scheduled for December 1. Several returning Senate Democrats — and most incoming freshmen — have declined to publicly back Schumer for the job, though Schumer needs just majority support from his caucus to win.
CNN’s Patrick Svitek and Edward-Isaac Dovere contributed reporting.
Shapiro delivers campaign-style speech at Democratic summit
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is expected to launch a 2028 presidential bid, delivered a campaign-style speech today at a gathering of Democrats in Denver, Colorado.
Shapiro was reelected last week and Democrats control the state legislature. With the new trifecta, the governor previewed that he will increase minimum wage, expand housing and enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution.
He argued that national Democrats should follow his state’s lead. But he went on to contend that “no state can usher in a wholesale change that our country needs right now.”
The governor further struck a note of hope and unity.
But he did not offer any clues about a potential presidential run.
Chris Van Hollen says he won't mount a 2028 presidential bid
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen said he will not run for president in the upcoming election.
A fixture in Washington, Van Hollen had previously said he’s interested in a 2028 presidential run. He has been a top Democratic voice criticizing Israel over the treatment of Palestinians. He also flew to El Salvador last year to meet with an immigrant father who was wrongly deported there and advocated for the man’s ultimate return to the US.
Van Hollen was born in Pakistan, something that would not preclude him from serving as president, since his father was posted there for the State Department.
The Maryland senator is mounting an uphill challenge to Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader.
"Glad to see there’s more people getting in the race," Sen. Slotkin says on Van Hollen
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin said she is “glad to see there’s more people getting in the race” when asked about Sen. Chris Van Hollen challenging Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to lead the chamber’s new Democratic majority.
“We’ve had good conversations. I’ve been open that I’m not voting for Sen. Schumer. I’ll have more to say about this next week,” she told reporters in Denver, Colorado, today.
Slotkin had earlier talked about how she is keen to be “a part of the next generation of leaders going forward that does things differently.”
Govs. Spanberger and Sherrill reflect on their first year in office
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill shared lessons from their first year in office that informed Democratic success in the 2026 midterms, emphasizing the overriding importance of cost of living concerns.
“We have that off-year cycle, we had to get into that race right away,” Sherrill recalled of her election, saying that people on the ground were “telling me, affordability.”
“And everybody else is telling me that’s boring, and that’s not a way to run an election,” she said, speaking at the “What’s Next” summit in Denver. “You have to run a democracy and NATO, and you name the issue at the time, DOGE, and democratic institutions, but people on the ground are telling me affordability.”
Spanberger discussed the unique challenge facing her state, with the most data centers in the country amid a popular backlash.
“Whether it’s noise pollution, air pollution, water consumption, energy consumption, all of these topics, or even local siting or use of NDAs, all of these topics have long been of great concern within Virginia,” she said. “We were really ground zero for that conversation.”
Spanberger touted efforts such as a first-of-its-kind consumption tax on data center utility use, the elimination of non-disclosure agreements, and community benefit plans.
Both were asked about working with President Donald Trump in his last two years in office. Responding to Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico’s stated desire for collaboration, Sherrill was circumspect.
“My advice to Senator Talarico is, if Trump wants to work with us, we will lay out the agenda, and he can sign it,” she said, reflecting on battles for federal infrastructure funding.
Spanberger said that as a governor it was “foolish” to expect deals with the administration, saying Trump has “no track record of ever following through.” But as a former US representative she urged the incoming Democratic majorities to “pass a bill, pass a bill, pass a bill, pass a bill.”
“Frankly, he likes attention. Eventually, he’ll want to do a signing ceremony, and eventually, he might sign a couple of them,” Spanberger joked.
DOJ's letter is a "telltale sign of an authoritarian leader devolving," Sen. Slotkin says
Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin addressed a letter she received from the US attorney in Texas, saying this is the second time she’s been threatened over potential congressional investigations of the Trump administration.
Calling it a playbook that she has seen in eastern Europe and the Middle East, Slotkin said, “This says more about him than it does about me. And I’m happy to have him demonstrate to the world that freedom of speech is something he wants to criminally indict.”
Remember: A US attorney in Texas sent a letter yesterday to Slotkin over her call for Democrats to investigate President Donald Trump’s orbit, asking the lawmaker to preserve records related to any planned probe.
Sen. Ruben Gallego: Latino support for Democrats not "a blank check"
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego said at a gathering of Democrats today that the swing of Latino voters toward the party in the midterm elections should not be taken for granted.
Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump, made significant inroads with Latino voters in the past few election cycles. However, in this election, Democrats widened support among the base by 11 percentage points since the 2022 midterms.
Jeffries vows early Democratic action on health care and more
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Friday that Democrats would take early action in the new Congress to reverse health care cuts under the Trump administration.
“We’ve got to fix what’s been broken and we’re going to begin very early on… by working to reverse the Medicaid cuts and working to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” Jeffries, who is widely expected to become the House Speaker in January, said in a public appearance in Denver.
Jeffries also called for an expansion to Medicare, embracing a key demand of many progressives in Congress. He said Democrats should in the future work toward lowering the age of eligibility for Medicare, expanding the program to cover hearing, vision and dental care, and guaranteeing health care to every child in America. The Congressional Progressive Caucus chairman hailed Jeffries’ remarks after.
The top House Democrat identified other legislative goals for the party during a lightning round of questions:
- Expanding the child tax credit;
- Banning congressional stock trading;
- Reversing the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision;
- Codifying abortion rights;
- Ending mid-cycle redistricting.
This post has been updated with additional details.
DOJ adds terrorism charge against accused White House Correspondent's dinner attacker
The Justice Department has added a new charge of terrorism against the man who, armed with guns and knives, stormed a Secret Service checkpoint at the White House Correspondent’s dinner in April.
The man, Cole Tomas Allen, was previously charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump and assaulting a law enforcement officer when he allegedly shot a Secret Service agent with a shotgun as he ran through security.
Trump, along with other administration officials, were attending the dinner in a nearby ballroom that Allen was allegedly attempting to breach.
In broad language, the new indictment alleges Allen was attempting to kill Trump “with the intent to influence the policy and conduct” of the administration “by intimidation and coercion.” It does not specify exactly what policy or conduct Allen was allegedly attempting to influence.
Allen has previously pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and a trial has been set for September 2027.
Van Hollen says Americans "voted for change" after launching leadership bid
Sen. Chris Van Hollen declared that Americans “voted for change” in his first public appearance since announcing his bid for Senate Democratic leader.
Appearing at the “What’s Next” summit in Denver, Colorado, on Friday, Van Hollen was greeted as he walked on stage by a shout from one member of the audience calling him “Leader.”
The Maryland senator said he is challenging current Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer because he believes lawmakers should be willing to push for institutional change if voters demand it.
“The lesson for me is not that Americans don’t care about government or our democracy; it’s that they want their government to work and change to be worthy of their trust.”
Van Hollen argued that Democrats shouldn’t base their legislative goals around what President Donald Trump is willing to sign into law.
“What if we actually had votes on the Senate floor on things that the American people really cared about? No poison pills or tricks to hide things that are deeply unpopular or at the behest of corporate lobbyists,” he said. “And if Trump wants to veto it, and once again show he stands with his billionaire buddies, let him do that.”
Notably, Van Hollen called for “putting our new members on the front lines of the United States Senate.” Two of those new members have already declared they will back his bid for leader, while several others have previously indicated they won’t support Schumer.
Hecklers interrupt Hakeem Jeffries' appearance at Denver event
Hecklers interrupted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ public appearance at an event in Denver, Colorado, on Friday, with some hurling profanity-laced insults and accusing him of being a “sellout.”
The Brooklyn Democrat was being interviewed on stage by political commentator Jessica Tarlov when one person initially interrupted him to call for passage of environmental legislation.
“When is it time for a Green New Deal? When is it time for Medicare for All?,” the person could be heard shouting. Others in the crowd could be heard trying to drown out the yelling with shouts of “Hakeem! Hakeem!”
Later in the event, as Tarlov was asking Jeffries about his top legislative priorities, another person in the crowd began shouting at Jeffries, calling the Democrat a “f***ing liar.”
“The American people demanded impeachment,” the person shouted before being drowned out by boos from the audience.
Jeffries told Tarlov, “Jessica, I’m from Brooklyn, this is light work.”
Tarlov also responded to the hecklers, who were among an audience of hundreds of people. “Guys, do you think this is helpful to you?” she asked.
Top DOJ official tells judge he's unaware of DC golf course document destruction
A top Justice Department official told a judge on Friday that the department isn’t aware of any document destruction related to the renovation of a Washington, DC, golf course that President Donald Trump has wanted.
Judge Ana Reyes had raised the possibility in the first moments of another heated court hearing challenging the East Potomac Golf Course’s planned closure because she has for weeks questioned the ethics and truthfulness of DOJ attorneys and government officials appearing before her.
Reyes asked Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward whether the government was aware of any document destruction. Woodward, the third-highest ranking political appointee of the Justice Department, responded that he wasn’t aware of any.
CNN previously reported that whistleblowers have alleged the Interior Department is getting rid of records, potentially related to Trump’s pet development projects in Washington. The allegations have already drawn concern from Democrats on Capitol Hill.
Why this matters: Fights over the availability of Trump administration records to Congress or to the public are expected to animate much of the capital once Democrats are leading the Senate and House, and pursuing investigations of Trump ventures and administration decisions.
Reyes’ remarks are an early example of how seriously courts may be taking allegations about the Trump administration — in addition to the new Congress.
Reyes on Friday warned Woodward and a bevy of other DOJ lawyers in the room that if she were to find credible evidence of document destruction, “there will be serious consequences,” such as sanctions.
She added — with a flourish of asking if anyone in the packed courtroom knew physics terminology — that the consequences would come from her “faster than a zeptosecond.”
A zeptosecond is the shortest length of time ever recorded — a sextillionth of a second.
Mamdani dodges on whether he supports Schumer’s bid for majority leader
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stopped short of endorsing Sen. Chuck Schumer’s bid for majority leader in the Senate, just a day after Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced he would challenge Schumer for the post.
“I think the American people made their voices very clear, they sent a message that they want Democratic leadership across the board that will deliver material improvements for the working class and as the mayor of New York City that is exactly what I want to see for New Yorkers across our five boroughs,” Mamdani said Friday during an unrelated press conference. “So I care less about who it is and I care more about what they do with that power.”
Mamdani was specifically asked whether he believed Schumer “deserved” to lead Democrats in the Senate and if his policies were progressive enough. He did not answer the question.
Schumer’s relationship with Mamdani has been at arm’s length. The longtime Brooklyn Democrat did not endorse Mamdani in the race for mayor last year. Schumer also declined to say who he had voted for when he cast his vote last November.
Schumer who has been a stalwart defender of Israel ultimately stayed out of the New York City mayor’s race where the topic became a flashpoint. Mamdani has been a long time critic of the Israeli government.
Lutnick agrees to testify on Nvidia scandal before Senate committee
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has voluntarily agreed to appear before the Senate Banking Committee to answer their questions about export controls related to Nvidia, after the GOP committee chair Tim Scott on Thursday requested his testimony.
“Secretary Lutnick has proactively agreed to appear voluntarily before the Banking Committee to address their questions,” a spokesperson for Lutnick, Kristen Eichamer, told CNN.
A source familiar said that the details are still being worked through. Scott requested the testimony after Huang resigned as CEO of Nvidia after reports of his affair with an alleged Chinese spy. Others have raised issues with Lutnick’s failure to label a Chinese-connected company called Megaspeed — which is also involved in the scandal — as a national security threat.
Scott wrote letters to Lutnick and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang requesting that they voluntarily testify in a public hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, citing “serious concerns about our national security.” Scott asked Huang to appear on December 3 and Lutnick on December 10.
“Given the Department of Commerce’s central role in issuing and enforcing export control regulations, your testimony before the Committee will be essential to our oversight of these efforts,” Scott wrote to Lutnick, adding, “we appreciate your willingness to appear before the Committee.”
But Scott ended his letter to Huang with a warning: “Should you fail to appear before the Committee on a voluntary basis, the Committee is prepared to use all tools at our disposal, including subpoenas, to conduct this legitimate and necessary oversight.”
US attorney asks Slotkin to preserve records, says Democrats' probes could be "unlawful"
A US attorney in Texas sent a letter yesterday to Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin over her call for Democrats to investigate President Donald Trump’s orbit, asking the lawmaker to preserve records related to any planned probe.
The letter came as the Trump administration ramps up aggressive rhetoric and legal warnings against Democratic lawmakers, who have signaled they will launch aggressive investigations into Trump and his circle once they take over Congress.
Last month, Slotkin said at an event, “You need to pick those signature cases and go hard on accountability, not just Trump. … I want to look at these signature cases and not just focus on the president, but on the people who enabled him.”
He added: “In other words, your ‘oversight’ plans seem to have no legitimate legislative purpose and may therefore be unlawful.”
Earlier this week, Reitz sent a similar letter to Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, accusing him of threatening “citizens for associating themselves with the President and other public officials.”
High-profile Democrats to discuss what's at stake for the party at Denver conference
A group of potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates is in Denver to discuss the party’s future, in one of the first major gatherings following the midterms.
Attendees will include former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, as well as Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Cory Booker of New Jersey.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — who is poised to become speaker in January — and Rep. Ro Khanna of California are on the lineup.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who is launching a challenge to Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, is also scheduled to speak.
The group of speakers also includes Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia.
The “What’s Next” summit, which began yesterday, is being hosted by Majority Democrats, an organization that launched last year to help Democrats win in more places.
In staging the event less than two weeks after the midterms, the group is looking to move quickly to outline the lessons learned from the election that could be instructive going forward, including in the next White House race.
Organizers chose Denver partly because it is one of the cities under consideration to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention.
CNN’s Adrienne Vogt contributed to this post.
Van Hollen is challenging Schumer for Senate majority leader. Here's more about him
Chris Van Hollen announced he’s taking on fellow Democrat Chuck Schumer for the role of Senate majority leader and has voiced interest in a 2028 presidential run. CNN explains where Senator Van Hollen stands on international affairs.
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced Thursday he would challenge New York Sen. Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, launching an uphill battle to lead the chamber’s Democrats after their sweeping victory in the midterms.
“This is not about any one individual, but it is about answering the call of the American people,” Van Hollen said in an MS NOW interview, calling his candidacy a response to the “huge outburst of democracy” in the midterms.
“The call was really to reject the status quo and to reject business as usual,” he added. “And to do that, I think we need new leadership.”
The closed-ballot leadership election is scheduled for December 1. Several returning Senate Democrats — and most incoming freshmen — have declined to publicly back Schumer for the job, though Schumer needs just majority support from his caucus to win.
Watch more on his background in the video above.
Democrats pick up wins in Alaska and Kansas gubernatorial races
CNN projected that former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins will win Alaska’s governor race, becoming the first Democrat elected to lead the state in two decades.
CNN also projected that Democrat Cindy Holscher will defeat Republican Ty Masterson in the Kansas governor’s race.
After a blue wave swept the midterms, roughly 75% of Americans living in the 50 states will have a Democratic governor after the winners are sworn in.
