Andrews: Time for ‘generational change’ in Senate leadership

Sen.-elect Annie Andrews (D), who won a stunning victory in deep-red South Carolina by defeating Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), says there needs to be “generational change” in the Senate leadership .

“I still very much believe it’s time for a generational change on both sides of the aisle,” Andrews told Fox News anchor Bret Baier, appearing to take a jab at Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), who will turn 76 later this month.

Andrews is one of several incoming first-term Democrats who pledged during the campaign not to support Schumer for another term at the helm.

She told Fox News that she’ll be an independent voice in the upper chamber who will work with President Trump to “secure the border” and reverse cuts to Medicaid enacted under last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act .

“I vowed to be an independent voice for South Carolina and I also stayed really laser-focused on the issues that I heard about from South Carolinians, which of course include the affordability conversation, high gas prices, grocery prices, the impending healthcare crisis with those Medicaid budget cuts, and finding a way to end this war with Iran,” she said.

Andrews also noted that some in the GOP, including former Republican elected officials, supported her campaign for Senate.

She said “record-high diesel prices” are “crushing” farmers and shrimpers in South Carolina who “are looking for people who will go up to D.C., put party politics aside, roll up their sleeves and do the hard work of governing.”

“I wouldn’t have put the career that I love aside and all this time away from my children if I was just going to go up to Washington and play party politics. People are tired of that, people need real leadership in Washington, D.C.,” the incoming senator added.

Andrews is a pediatrician and a mother to three kids.

Several other victorious Democratic Senate candidates told voters they want new leadership in Washington.

Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D), Kansas Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton (D), Maine Sen.-elect Troy Jackson (D) and Illinois Sen.-elect Juliana Stratton (D) have said they would not vote for Schumer for another term as Democratic leader. Minnesota Sen.-elect Peggy Flanagan (D-Minn.) also called for new leadership atop the Democratic caucus as a whole.

Even so, Schumer says he will have the votes to be reelected when Democrats hold their leadership election next month.

“The issue is not me. I’ll be reelected as majority leader. But the issue is focusing on the American people and what they want,” Schumer told reporters, when asked about the opposition.

Senate Democrats will have a majority of between 54 and 56 seats, depending on the results of the Alaska and Mississippi Senate races.

Schumer only needs the votes of a majority of his conference to continue serving as leader, and no one has emerged to challenge him.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a well-respected progressive senator who was seen as a potential challenger to Schumer, has signaled he will not run to become majority leader in 2027.

“Prior to selecting a majority leader, Senator Van Hollen believes the caucus needs to have an honest and open conversation about how we move an agenda forward that reflects the will of the American people,” a source close to Van Hollen told NewsNation in an email.

“He’s made it clear that the new Democratic majorities need to use their power to push a proactive, economic agenda,” they added.