# So who will be Senate Majority Leader **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 19, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022 "2016-10-19T13:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/1 "2016-10-19T13:06:12Z")
if the democrats take the Senate, of course? Right now the Minority Leader is Reid. But he’s out. Durbin’s the Whip but I have trouble seeing him in the role. Schumer? A secure New York Senator who’ll be reelected until he dies? Combative, too. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/2 "2016-10-19T13:08:54Z")
Schumer is a schu-in. I thought that matter had already been settled pending the election results of course. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/3 "2016-10-19T13:11:22Z")
He’s been making his case, as I understand it. But I don’t think it’s settled. Any other contenders but Durbin and Schumer? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/4 "2016-10-19T13:15:27Z")
I have trouble imagining anyone but Schumer. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/5 "2016-10-19T13:46:20Z")
I like Schumer okay, but I think it should be someone who didn’t vote against the Iran nuclear deal. Not that my input matters. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/6 "2016-10-19T21:08:56Z")
Who else could it be but Schumer? It’s already been settled in caucus. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/7 "2016-10-19T22:12:08Z")
Haven’t heard anything about this in several months, but what I heard back then was that Schumer had it in the bag. I assume the reason I haven’t heard anything since isn’t just Trump v. Clinton, but also that Schumer still has it in the bag, and periodic reminders of that wouldn’t exactly be news. ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/8 "2016-10-19T22:44:28Z")
Al Franken (hilariously, to me) calls Schumer the “Jewish LBJ”, presumably for his ability to work the levers of power in the Senate. FiveThiryEight’s current polls-plus Senate forecast gives him a 3-in-4 probability of achieving the post. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/9 "2016-10-19T22:54:47Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > He’s been making his case, as I understand it. But I don’t think it’s settled. Any other contenders but Durbin and Schumer? There’s only one contender: Schumer. There is no competition. [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/chuck-schumer-minority-leader-116473](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/chuck-schumer-minority-leader-116473) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/10 "2016-10-19T23:04:59Z")
One thing is sure… The Republican minority will let us know that whoever the majority leader is, they are completely unsuited for the job, a horrible, horrible choice for the nation, and they will do everything in their power to make sure that the Democrats can get nothing whatsoever accomplished at all. Ever. This will be their number 2 priority. Number 1 priority for the nation of course, will be to make sure that Hillary Clinton is a one-term president, and to block every appointment she makes at every level. That goes without saying, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/11 "2016-10-20T00:16:18Z")
> [@RickG](#): > > Al Franken (hilariously, to me) calls Schumer the “Jewish LBJ”, presumably for his ability to work the levers of power in the Senate. > > FiveThiryEight’s current polls-plus Senate forecast gives him a 3-in-4 probability of achieving the post. FiveThiryEight for a long time was giving Clinton only a 3 in 4 chance, and that’s just as accurate. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/12 "2016-10-21T19:38:26Z")
IF the Democrats take the Senate, Schumer will be Majority leader. I believe they’ll fall just short, and Mitch McConnell will keep the job (even now, there’s no credible Republican opponent who can dethrone him). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/13 "2016-10-21T19:49:30Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > IF the Democrats take the Senate, Schumer will be Majority leader. > > I believe they’ll fall just short, and Mitch McConnell will keep the job (even now, there’s no credible Republican opponent who can dethrone him). Have you seen the polling? The Dems will most likely have 51 or 52 seats. Even if they only get 50, Kaine gets the tie breaker. It’s very unlikely that the GOP ends up with 51 or more seats. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/14 "2016-10-22T20:18:56Z")
Durbin has been mentioned as being interested in running for governor of Illinois. Rauner is vulnerable and with an improving economy, Durbin can come in and take credit for turning things around. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/15 "2016-10-23T06:34:25Z")
It’s Schumer, and I can’t think of a better choice. We can work with Chuck Schumer. Although he’s not a pushover like Tom Daschle was. But also not a first class dick like Harry Reid was. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-will-be-senate-majority-leader/769022/16 "2016-10-24T11:29:15Z")
I was just at a charity event with the next majority leader and his wife. He was very upbeat and happy and was disinclined to talk about the election too much. I think he can afford to be upbeat, plus he was in Prospect Park-- literally his home base. I’m talking about Chuck Schumer, in case anyone is confused. As an aside, there was an auction and two VIP tickets with backstage passes for Hamilton went for $10,500. For reals. Hubby bid $400 for them and actually thought he had a chance. Crazy!