WASHINGTON - Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid announced via video Friday morning that he will not seek re-election in 2016, and stamped approval for Senator Charles Schumer to succeed him rather than Minority Leader Dick Durbin.
"I think Schumer should be able to succeed me," Reid said in an interview with the Washington Post.
Reid predicted that Schumer, the No. 3 Senate Democrat in leadership and a close friend, would win the Democratic leader post without opposition. He said that the other likely contender, Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), would stand down for Schumer, WaPo says.
"We have to make sure Democrats take over the Senate again," Reid said in the video.