Sen. Charles Schumer, the Senate’s incoming minority leader, said he spoke to Donald Trump Wednesday and he congratulated him on a victory that “surprised both political parties.”
Schumer, D-N.Y., said Trump phoned him this morning but did not disclose further details of the call.
Schumer, who many expected to be the incoming majority leader, will now head the Democratic opposition in the Senate, where the minority wields filibuster power thanks to a 60-vote threshold needed to pass most legislation. However, speculation is running high that Republicans may eliminate that power in order to push through Republican bills and ensure confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
“This was a divisive and hard-fought election, and the outcome surprised many Americans from both political parties,” Schumer said. “It is time for the country to come together and heal the bitter wounds from the campaign. Senate Democrats will spend the coming days and weeks reflecting on these results, hearing from the American people and charting a path forward to achieve our shared goals and to defend our values.”
