Slotkin Declines To Rule Out Senate Leadership Bid

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) on Saturday declined to rule out a Senate leadership bid and remained noncommittal on backing Chuck Schumer as majority leader.

“Given what happened on election night, there's a pretty clear mandate that people want a new generation [of leadership], and they want to know what the plan is to actually help their lives,” Slotkin told POLITICO on the sidelines of Crooked Media’s “Crooked Con” conference. “So one way or another, I want to see that.”

Slotkin said that “no one person can claim credit” for Democrats’ romp on Tuesday — and emphasized that she wasn’t fully sold on Schumer.

“Not until I see a plan, no. And I would certainly not vote for him if we don't have a plan” for the first 100 days of the next Congress, Slotkin said, adding: “The American public had a very strong message for Donald Trump and a very strong message about what they wanted out of their elected leaders, which is something to help their pocketbooks and their kids.”

Slotkin’s remarks to POLITICO come after she was asked on stage at the conference about potentially running for majority leader.

“I'm not ruling anything out,” Slotkin said in response.

Her comments come as some Senate Democrats have privately speculated that she could be a potential contender for a lower-level leadership position. Spokespeople for Slotkin did not respond to an inquiry late last month about speculation within the caucus that Slotkin could be interested in joining the leadership team.

Other Democrats view her ambitions as laying outside of the Capitol. Sloktin, who joined the Senate in 2025 from the House, is being floated as a potential future contender for the White House or other jobs within a Democratic administration, including CIA director or other national security spots given her intelligence background.

Asked Saturday if a Senate leadership bid would mean ruling out a presidential run, Slotkin told POLITICO: “All of this is an open conversation. I just want to be a part of a new generation of leadership that does something different with the expression of power, and I think there's lots of different ways that that can go.”

Some newer members of the Senate could potentially join the lower ranks of the leadership team. Sens. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who are members of the first-term class with Slotkin, are both eyeing bids.

Democrats will have their leadership elections in early December. Schumer is broadly expected within the caucus to be elected majority leader starting in January, with several Democrats saying since Tuesday that they will support him.

“He’s done a stellar job, and I think people cannot have any complaints. I think they are going to feel nothing but gratitude to Senator Schumer,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said in an interview, adding that she “absolutely” expects him to be leader.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz) told reporters at Crooked Con Saturday that “Chuck worked really hard to get this majority, so my plan is to support him."

So far no one has raised their hand to run against Schumer, who told “The Daily” podcast that he didn’t expect a challenge.

Still, a handful of incoming first-term senators who will be joining the chamber in January have vowed not to support him. But Schumer only needs a majority of the caucus, and the election will take place behind closed doors via secret ballot.

“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 said this week when asked about the critics joining his caucus.

Schumer has so far only sketched out his top-level thinking about how Democrats will approach the majority, saying they will focus on “cost, chaos and corruption,” including trying to pass cost-of-living legislation and investigating the Trump administration.

Asked during an interview with POLITICO this week if he was making a pitch to members yet on what the strategy is going to be going forward, Schumer said only that “we’re beginning to talk.”

The Senate will return Monday from a weekslong break, giving Democrats their first chance to begin talking in person about the path forward.