Well before the election, one of the things the Democrat Senate nominees were being asked was if they would be supporting Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as their leader in the event they were elected.

Some, like Kansas' Adam Hamilton, Maine's Troy Jackson, and Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed, indicated they wouldn't, with El-Sayed going so far as to suggest  - before and after the election - an alternative to Schumer: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

His rationale, in part, has been things like "[Van Hollen is] willing to take risks when it matters. Flying down to meet Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a real risk…he went to check up on his constituent. That’s what leadership is about."

Van Hollen has demurred on the topic for weeks when questioned about it, and only recently indicated - through staffers - that he might be interested in challenging the longtime Democrat leader of the Senate, who has had a falling out among some of the more progressive members over the last two years due to what they have viewed as his failure to more aggressively oppose the Trump administration.

On Thursday night, Van Hollen made it official that he would challenge Schumer for the role:

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“In this election, the American people called for change. They called for a change from Donald Trump’s disastrous policies — but even bigger than that, a change from the status quo that isn’t working for working people,” Van Hollen said in a statement.

Van Hollen’s move follows attempts by grassroots progressives — and some newly elected Democratic senators — to draft him for the position as some seek an alternative to Schumer.

“It’s now on us to meet this moment, and to do that we need new leadership. This is not about any one person — it’s about answering the call of the American people. That is why I’m running for Senate Majority Leader,” he added.

Already, he's moving to appeal to the socialist/anti-Israel wing:

Schumer reacted on X by suggesting he already had the votes to retain his leadership post and boasted of the Democrats' election night victories:

So far, here is what we know about who supports who:

El-Sayed wasted no time being among the first to issue a statement of support, saying “Michiganders demand money out of politics, money in pockets, and Medicare for All. Senator Chris Van Hollen offers both the courage to go toe-to-toe with the Trump administration to deliver for working people and the experience to maneuver the Senate caucus. It’s why he has my full support to lead our caucus.”

Already, some Democrat-aligned groups are pledging to primary anyone who sides with Schumer during next month's vote:

We'll keep you posted on developments. Stay tuned.