Senate

Dems mum on Senate leadership fight

by Jordain Carney - 04/14/15 3:24 PM ET

A pair of top Senate Democrats stayed silent Tuesday on reports of a fight over who would be in the party’s No. 2 spot in the next Congress.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said leadership positions for the 115th Congress would be filled next year.

“Leadership positions for the … 115th Congress will be determined after the first of the year, toward the end of the next year,” he told reporters. “I’m so happy, proud … of my three leaders that have been with me basically during my entire tenure.”

{mosads}Reid’s announcement last month that he would retire at the end of his current term set off a scramble to lock down leadership positions for the next Congress.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) already has enough votes, and Reid’s endorsement, to be the next Democratic leader.

Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), currently the party’s whip, and Patty Murray (Wash.) are reportedly battling over who will be the whip during the 115th Congress.

Congressional aides have said Schumer pledged to support Durbin for whip if Durbin supported the New York Democrat for leader.

Schumer’s office, however, has disputed that.

Murray, currently the fourth-ranked Democrat, declined to say Monday whether she would challenge Durbin for his position, but also declined to endorse him.

Asked whether he pledged to support Durbin, Schumer instead highlighted what Senate Democrats will be focused on for roughly the next year and a half.

“The next 18 months, we’re all going to work together under Senator Reid’s leadership to fight for the middle class, number one,” he told reporters. “Number two, to make sure that when Republicans are doing things to hurt the country, that we stop them. And three, to take back the majority.”

Schumer didn’t respond to a question on whether he and Durbin “hugged it out.”

Durbin visibly laughed when the three were asked about the reports of the feud, and suggested he agreed with Reid’s statement.

Tags Chuck Schumer Dick Durbin Patty Murray