Senator-Elect Annie Andrews Calls for Generational Change in Senate Leadership

Senator-elect Annie Andrews, the South Carolina Democrat who pulled off a striking victory over Republican Sen. Darline Graham in a deeply conservative state, says the Senate needs new leadership on both sides of the aisle.

"I still very much believe it's time for a generational change on both sides of the aisle," Andrews said in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier. The remark appeared to be aimed at Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who turns 76 later this month.

Andrews is among a group of incoming freshman Democrats who promised voters during their campaigns that they would not support Schumer serving another term at the helm of the caucus.

In the Fox News appearance, Andrews said she intends to be an independent voice in the Senate and is willing to work with President Trump to "secure the border" and to undo the Medicaid cuts 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 health care crisis with those Medicaid budget cuts and finding a way to end this war with Iran," she said.

Andrews, a pediatrician and mother of three, pointed out that her campaign drew backing from some Republicans, including former GOP elected officials. She said "record-high diesel prices" are "crushing" the state's farmers and shrimpers, who "are looking for people who will go up to DC, put party politics aside, roll up their sleeves and do the hard work of governing." She added: "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, DC."

Several other victorious Democratic Senate candidates have taken the same position on leadership. Senators-elect Abdule El-Sayed of Michigan, Adam Hamilton of Kansas, Troy Jackson of Maine and Juliana Stratton of Illinois have all said they would not vote to give Schumer another term, while Minnesota Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan has called for new leadership across the Democratic caucus.

Schumer, for his part, says he has the support he needs ahead of the leadership election Democrats plan to hold 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," he told reporters when asked about the dissent.

Senate Democrats are set to hold a majority of between 54 and 56 seats, depending on the outcomes of the Alaska and Mississippi races. Schumer needs only a majority of his own conference to keep his post, and no challenger has stepped forward. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, a well-regarded progressive once viewed as a possible rival, has signaled he will not run for majority leader in 2027. A source close to Van Hollen told NewsNation that "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," adding that he has made clear the new Democratic majorities should use their power to advance a proactive economic agenda.