Sen. Patty Murray, the chamber’s No. 4 Democrat, backs Sen. Chuck Schumer to become the next Democratic leader.
A Murray aide confirmed to the Washington Examiner that Murray will throw her support behind Schumer when current Minority Leader Harry Reid leaves the Senate in 2016.
Murray’s endorsement essentially clears the way for Schumer, who is serving his third term and is up for re-election in 2016. Reid endorsed Schumer to succeed him. The New Yorker is a powerful fundraising force in the Senate and has formerly headed the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which works to get Democrats elected to the Senate.
There are no other Democratic lawmakers publicly declaring a challenge to Schumer at this point. The No. 2 leader, Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, pledged to support Schumer last week.
Murray, from Washington state, has been serving in the Democratic leadership since 2007 and is currently the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee.
