The mild-mannered Maryland senator has suddenly emerged as a leading figure in the resistance to Donald Trump’s norm-busting presidency, becoming the latest in a small but growing collection of Democratic officials testing the strength of their political power in a weakened party with no clear leader. Van Hollen’s emergence in a critical national debate offers a fresh window into the Democratic Party's monthslong leadership carousel as it struggles to counter a series of Trump administration policies with far-reaching consequences, from slashing the federal workforce to stripping funding from universities, pushing back against court orders and launching a trade war that's rattling the global economy. “I don't think it’s ever wrong to fight for the constitutional rights of one person, because if we give up on one person’s rights we threaten everybody’s rights," Van Hollen said Sunday on CNN's “State of the Union.” “I think a lot of voters — both Republican and Democrat — are tired of elected officials and politicians who just put their finger to the wind.
Author: STEVE PEOPLES AP national political writer
Published at: 2025-04-20 19:26:19
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