Newly elected Senate Democrats in the spotlight: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.In today’s edition, Kristen Welker dives into the first big decision facing the class of incoming Democratic senators.Plus, Natasha Korecki explains why the midterm results could make Democrats’ 2028 presidential primary even more unwieldy.

— Adam WollnerNewly elected Democrats in the spotlight as Senate leadership fight kicks offAnalysis by Kristen WelkerThe first battle in the fight for the future of the Democratic Party will come next month, when Senate Democrats choose who their leader will be when they are in the majority next year.Sen.Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., announced last night that he is challenging Sen.

Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who has led the Democratic caucus in the chamber for a decade.And all eyes will be on the 13 newly elected Democrats joining the Senate.

Many of the incoming freshman Democrats have been calling for change, but Schumer’s role in recruiting some of them and helping them win their races also looms large.Schumer’s supporters have likened ousting him to firing a baseball manager who just won the World Series.Two newly elected Democrats — Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota — have already said that they will support Van Hollen for majority leader.

Four others — Maine’s Troy Jackson, South Carolina’s Annie Andrews, Illinois’ Juliana Stratton and Kansas’ Adam Hamilton — have publicly said they would oppose Schumer.“What I’d be looking for is a leader who can lead from the center, somebody who can bring Republicans and Democrats together, somebody who can bring the various factions in Democratic Party together, somebody with fresh ideas,” Hamilton told me on “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

“So again, no disrespect for Chuck Schumer.Just, it feels like there’s time for — it is a time for fres...