Van Hollen’s emergence in a critical national debate offers a fresh window into the Democratic Party's monthslong leadership carousel. Democrats have struggled to counter a series of Trump administration policies with far-reaching consequences, from slashing the federal workforce to stripping funding from universities, pushing back against court orders and launching a trade war that's rattling the global economy. Democrats’ most visible elected leaders, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, have lost the confidence of many progressive activists. That’s opened a void for people like Sen. Cory Booker, who delivered a record-breaking 25-hour speech on the Senate floor that briefly served as a rallying point for the frustrated anti-Trump movement. Voters also have packed into rallies hosted by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have launched a national “Stop Oligarchy” tour. At the same time, potential 2028 presidential contenders such as Govs. Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer have gone the other way by downplaying their Trump criticism at times. Others, including Govs. Josh Shapiro and Wes Moore, have largely avoided stepping into the national debate. Read more.
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