McConnell to lead Senate GOP, Schumer new Democratic leader

Mitch McConnell with another term.

The Senator from New York, Schumer won his election and will be the new Democratic Senate minority leader.

Schumer was expected to take the leadership role since early past year, before Trump had announced his run for president.

“It’s really terrific that we have the breadth of the caucus represented in the leadership, and I’m really excited about that”, said Sen. President you have two choices: “Work with us and you will have to alienate your Republican colleagues, or break your promises to blue-collar America, ‘” he said.

He also said that the Democratic Party needs to be the party that speaks to the people and works in the name of all Americans, adding that Democrats must regain the support of the country’s working class, which on November 8 generally voted for Trump. Charles Schumer to serve as their leader, elevating the New Yorker to a post where he will serve as the chief opponent of President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican agenda in the next Congress.

In the end, both priorities were probably boosted by Trump who surprised pollsters and political observers with a relatively easy Electoral College win and piling up big margins in Kentucky which helped Republican state House candidates.

He enraged Democrats by refusing to let the Senate consider President Barack Obama’s nomination of federal judge Merrick Garland to fill a Supreme Court vacancy last February.

Senate Democrats and Republicans are meeting separately Wednesday to pick their leaders for the Congress that convenes in January.

With Democrats just beginning to study why last week’s election turned so badly against them, Schumer announced a 10-member leadership team.

Schumer, a Brooklyn Democrat, was unanimously chosen to replace retiring Sen. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Dick Durbin and Patty Murray. Dick Durbin of IL retains the minority whip post.

Others in Democratic leadership are Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) will be secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference; Sens. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin will be vice chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. Senator Elizabeth Warren of MA was given the role of vice chair of the conference while Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, another progressive voice, was made conference secretary.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Trump often donated to Schumer’s campaigns and called Schumer the morning after winning the presidency.

On Tuesday, House Republicans re-nominated Rep. Paul Ryan for House speaker, despite some earlier rumblings from the chamber’s most conservative caucus about ousting Ryan after he further distanced himself from Donald Trump in the closing weeks of the fellow Republican’s successful White House bid.