Chris Van Hollen | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2017 | |
| United States Senator fromMaryland | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Angela Alsobrooks | |
| Preceded by | Barbara Mikulski |
| Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Leader | Chuck Schumer |
| Preceded by | Jon Tester |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Cortez Masto |
| House Democratic Assistant to the Leader | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Xavier Becerra |
| Succeeded by | Jim Clyburn (Assistant Democratic Leader) |
| Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Rahm Emanuel |
| Succeeded by | Steve Israel |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's8th district | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Connie Morella |
| Succeeded by | Jamie Raskin |
| Member of theMaryland Senate from the 18th district | |
| In office January 11, 1995 – January 8, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Patricia Sher |
| Succeeded by | Sharon M. Grosfeld |
| Member of theMaryland House of Delegates from the 18th district | |
| In office January 9, 1991 – January 11, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Patricia Sher Lawrence Wiser |
| Succeeded by | Sharon Grosfeld |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Christopher Van Hollen Jr. (1959-01-10)January 10, 1959 (age 66) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent |
|
| Education | Swarthmore College (BA) Harvard University (MPP) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Signature | |
| Website | Senate website Campaign website |
Christopher Van Hollen Jr. (/vænˈhɒlən/vanHOL-ən; born January 10, 1959) is an American attorney and politician serving as theseniorUnited States senator fromMaryland, a seat he has held since 2017. A member of theDemocratic Party, he served as theU.S. representative forMaryland's 8th congressional district from 2003 to 2017 and as aMaryland state senator from 1995 to 2003.[1][2]
In 2007, Van Hollen became the chair of theDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In this post, he was responsible for leading efforts to defend vulnerable Democrats and get more Democrats elected to Congress in2008, which led to awave election for Democrats. House SpeakerNancy Pelosi created a new leadership post, Assistant to the Speaker, in 2006 so that Van Hollen could be present at all leadership meetings. He was elected ranking member on the Budget Committee on November 17, 2010. Pelosi appointed Van Hollen to the 12-member bipartisanCommittee on Deficit Reduction with a mandate for finding major budget reductions by late 2011. On October 17, 2013, Pelosi appointed Van Hollen to serve on the bicameral conference committee.[3]
Van Hollen ran for theUnited States Senate in2016 to replace retiring SenatorBarbara Mikulski. He defeated U.S. RepresentativeDonna Edwards in the Democratic primary and won the general election with 61% of the vote toRepublican nomineeKathy Szeliga's 36%. He was reelected in2022 with nearly 66% of the vote to Republican nominee Chris Chaffee's 34%. Van Hollen chaired theDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) from 2017 to 2019.[4] Van Hollen became Maryland's senior senator whenBen Cardin retired from the Senate in 2025.[5]
Van Hollen was born inKarachi, Pakistan, the eldest of three children of American parents, Edith Eliza (née Farnsworth) andChristopher Van Hollen.[6][7] His father was aForeign Service officer who served as deputyassistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs (1969–1972) andU.S. ambassador toSri Lanka and theMaldives (1972–1976);[8] his mother worked in theCentral Intelligence Agency and theState Department, where she served as chief of the intelligence bureau forSouth Asia.[7][9] He spent parts of his early life in Pakistan, Turkey, India, and Sri Lanka.[9][10] He returned to the United States for his junior year of high school, and attendedMiddlesex School inConcord, Massachusetts, where his grandfather had once taught.[9]
He is an alumnus of theKodaikanal International School (inDindigul district,Tamil Nadu, India).[11] In 1982, Van Hollen graduated fromSwarthmore College with aBachelor of Arts inphilosophy.[12] He continued his studies atHarvard University, where he earned aMaster of Public Policy concentrating in national security studies from theJohn F. Kennedy School of Government in 1985.[12] He then earned aJuris Doctor from theGeorgetown University Law Center in 1990.[12]
Van Hollen worked as a legislative assistant for defense and foreign policy toU.S. SenatorCharles Mathias, aRepublican fromMaryland, from 1985 to 1987.[13] He was also a staff member of theU.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (1987–1989), and a legislative advisor for federal affairs toMaryland governorWilliam Donald Schaefer (1989–1991).[13] He was admitted to the Marylandbar in 1990, and joined the law firm ofArent Fox.[14]
Van Hollen served in theMaryland General Assembly from 1991 to 2003, first in theHouse of Delegates (1991–1995) and then in theState Senate (1995–2003).[12] In the Senate, he served on the Budget and Taxation Committee and the Health and Human Services Subcommittee. He led successful efforts to raise the tobacco tax, prohibit oil drilling in theChesapeake Bay, mandatetrigger locks for guns, and increase funding for education and healthcare.[9] In 2002,The Washington Post called Van Hollen "one of the most accomplished members of the General Assembly."[15]

Before Van Hollen's election, incumbentConnie Morella had won eight elections in the district, despite being a Republican in a district that had swung heavily Democratic. Morella's success was largely attributed to her political independence and relativelyliberal voting record, including support forabortion rights,gay rights,gun control, and increasedenvironmental protections.[16]
After Morella's reelection in 2000, DemocraticMaryland Senate PresidentThomas V. Miller, Jr. made no secret that he wanted to draw the 8th out from under Morella. Indeed, one redistricting plan after the 2000 census divided the 8th in two, giving one district to Van Hollen and forcing Morella to run against popular State DelegateMark Kennedy Shriver. The final plan was far less ambitious, but made the district even more Democratic than its predecessor. It absorbed nine heavily Democratic precincts from neighboringPrince George's County, an area Morella had never represented. It also restored a heavily Democratic spur in eastern Montgomery County that had been cut out in the last round of redistricting.[17] Van Hollen defeated Morella in the 2002 general election in part, according to some analysts, because of this redistricting.[18]
In 2002, Van Hollen entered a competitive Democratic primary against Shriver and formerClinton administration aide Ira Shapiro. Though Shriver had the most money, Van Hollen launched a grassroots effort that mobilized Democratic voters. After receiving the endorsement ofThe Washington Post,The Baltimore Sun, and other local papers, Van Hollen defeated Shriver, 43.5% to 40.6%.[19]
During the campaign, Van Hollen emphasized that even when Morella voted with the district, her partisan affiliation keptTom DeLay and the rest of her party's more conservative leadership in power. Van Hollen also touted his leadership in the State Senate on issues such as education funding,HMO reform,trigger locks for handguns, and protecting theChesapeake Bay fromoil drilling. Van Hollen defeated Morella, 51.7% to 48.2%.[20] He crushed Morella in Prince George's County while narrowly winning Montgomery County. Morella won most of the precincts she had previously represented.
Van Hollen never faced another contest nearly that close, and was reelected six times with at least 60% of the vote. After the 2010 census, his district was made slightly less Democratic. He lost a heavily Democratic spur of Montgomery County to the neighboring6th district, and lost his share of Prince George's County to the4th district. In their place, the 8th absorbed a strongly Republican spur of Frederick County, as well as the southern part of even more Republican Carroll County. Nonetheless, his share of Montgomery County has more than double the population of his shares of Carroll and Frederick Counties combined, and Van Hollen won a sixth term over Republican Ken Timmerman with 63% of the vote. He lost in Carroll and Frederick, but swamped Timmerman in Montgomery by 130,406 votes.[21]
In 2003, the Committee for Education Funding, a nonpartisan education coalition founded in 1969, named Van Hollen its Outstanding New Member of the Year.[22] The first bill Van Hollen introduces every session is the Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers (Keep Our PACT) Act, which would fully fundNo Child Left Behind andIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act. He introduced an amendment, which passed, that repealed a 9.5 percent loophole instudent loans that had allowed lenders to pocket billions of taxpayer dollars. Now, that money is available for additional student loans.[23]
Because many federal employees live in his district, Van Hollen has worked on a number of issues relating to them. He supported pay parity in pay raises for civilian employees and introduced an amendment, which passed, to block attempts tooutsource federal jobs.[24]

Van Hollen has secured federal funding for a number of local-interest projects, including transportation initiatives, localhomeland security efforts, education programs and community development projects. Van Hollen included a provision in legislation governingWashington Metro to prevent housing development inTakoma Park.[25] He andAdam Schiff (D-CA) often discuss issues of National Security on the floor of the House in tandem, with particular commentary on the wars inAfghanistan andIraq.[26]
In May 2006, Van Hollen formed acongressional caucus on theNetherlands with Dutch-born Republican U.S. RepresentativePete Hoekstra fromMichigan. The goal of the caucus is to promote the U.S. relationship with the Netherlands and remember the Dutch role in establishing theState of New York and theUnited States.[27]

In July 2006, Van Hollen urged theBush administration to support a ceasefire supported by a peacekeeping force that would end the2006 Lebanon War. He was criticized by elements of theJewish and pro-Israel community, a large part of his constituency, for criticizing U.S. and Israeli policy in the Lebanon conflict.[28] In follow-up comments, Van Hollen indicated that his original comments were meant as a critique of Bush administration policy but did not retract his position, and other members of the local Jewish and pro-Israel community defended him.[28][29][30]
In 2006, Van Hollen opted out of the race to succeed the retiring SenatorPaul Sarbanes, saying he would rather spend time with his family and help elect more Democrats to Congress.[31] In keeping with that, Van Hollen was appointed to Chairman of theDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
In 2009, Van Hollen introduced a bill which establishes agreen bank to catalyze the financing ofclean energy andenergy efficiency projects.[32] He reintroduced the same bill again in 2014.[33]
In March 2010, whenCharles Rangel was forced to resign as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means over ethics charges, Van Hollen played a key role in havingSander Levin succeed to the Chairmanship overPete Stark. Stark was the second-most experienced member of the committee while Levin was third, and party tradition would have made Stark chairman due to seniority. However, Van Hollen and other younger members saw Stark's past intemperate comments as a liability to the Democrats in an election year.[34]
On April 29, 2010, Van Hollen introduced the campaign financeDISCLOSE Act.[35] He reintroduced the bill for the 113th Congress on February 9, 2012.[36]
In April 2011, Van Hollen sued theFederal Election Commission, charging it withregulatory capture and the creation of a loophole that allowed unlimited and undisclosed financing in the 2010 election season. According to Van Hollen, had it not been for the loophole, "much of the more than $135 million in secret contributions that funded expenditures would have been disclosed."[37][needs update]
During the 2012 Obama reelection campaign, Van Hollen participated in one-on-one debate prep with vice presidentJoe Biden, impersonating the Republican vice-presidential candidatePaul Ryan.[38]
In 2014, Van Hollen worked with a bipartisan group to pass the ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act. The legislation allowed people with disabilities to create tax-free savings accounts for qualified disability-related expenses (including education, housing, and transportation). The act was signed into law on December 19, 2014.[39]
Van Hollen defeated RepublicanKathy Szeliga in the general election, 61% to 36%. He replaced DemocratBarbara Mikulski, who had retired from the Senate after serving for 30 years.[46]
Van Hollen was reelected to a second term in 2022, defeating Republican Chris Chaffee with 65.8% of the vote to Chaffee's 34.1%.[47]
Shortly after the2016 elections, Van Hollen was selected as the Chairman of theDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) for the2018 cycle.[4] While part of a congressional delegation visiting India in 2019, Van Hollen requested the Indian government's permission to travel toJammu and Kashmir to observe the conditions of thelockdown. His request was denied.[48]
Van Hollen was walking to the Senate chambers to speak during the2021 United States Electoral College vote count when he was stopped byU.S. Capitol Police telling him that the building was on lockdown due to theattack on the Capitol.[49] He returned to his office, where he remained for the duration of the attack.[50] In the immediate wake of the insurrection, Van Hollen called Trump a "political arsonist" and said "I never thought we would live to see the day that violent mobs seized control of the Capitol. I cry for our country."[51] As Van Hollen waited for the Capitol to be secured, he said he wanted an immediate investigation, calling the perpetrators "a violent mob." He also contrasted the police's treatment of the rioters with events that led to the use of tear gas on peaceful demonstrators, such asBlack Lives Matter protests.[52] After Congress returned to session to count the electoral votes, he voted against objections raised by some Republican senators.[53] Van Hollen also called for Trump's "immediate removal" via theTwenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and said, "we should have looked at that option much earlier."[49]

In April 2025, Van Hollen traveled toEl Salvador, advocating the release of Maryland residentKilmar Abrego Garcia.[54] On April 16, he met with the Salvadoran vice presidentFélix Ulloa, who denied him visitation access toCECOT and refused to authorize a call between him and Abrego Garcia.[55] On April 17, Van Hollen was denied entry intoCECOT after he was stopped at a checkpoint under orders to not allow him to proceed.[56] A delegation of five House Republicans, including Ways and Means Committee ChairJason Smith, had been given a tour of the prison two days earlier.[57] WhenSecretary of StateMarco Rubio testified before theSenate Foreign Relations Committee on May 20, 2025, Van Hollen told him that he regretted voting to confirm him.[58]
In July 2025, Van Hollen led a call by 29 Senate Democrats asking Rubio to investigate the killing of Palestinian-Americans in theWest Bank region.[59][60] In September, he visited the West Bank with Oregon SenatorJeff Merkley and reported their conclusion that Israel was carrying out an "ethnic cleansing" campaign in the territory.[61]
| External video | |
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In 2023, Van Hollen received a 100% score from theLeague of Conservation Voters.[65]
According to his campaign website, Van Hollen supports an increase in theminimum wage, paidsick leave, an expansion of theearned income tax credit,equal pay for women, an increase in thechild caretax credit, and afinancial transaction tax.[66]
In October 2018, Van Hollen andSusan Collins cosponsored the Protect Our Elections Act, a bill that would block "any persons from foreign adversaries from owning or having control over vendors administering U.S. elections" and would make companies involved in administering elections reveal foreign owners and inform local, state and federal authorities if said ownership changes. Companies failing to comply would face fines of $100,000.[67][68]
Van Hollen has been endorsed by theBrady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a group that lobbies for more regulation of guns.[69] In September 2008, he voted against repealing parts of the Washington, D.C., firearm ban. He supports a national assault weapon ban.[70]
In 2015, Van Hollen introduced legislation for increasedhandgun licensing, specifically the requirement for permit-to-purchase licenses. The proposal was based on a similar law in Maryland. Of his proposal, Van Hollen said, "States require licenses to drive a car or even to fish in local rivers, so requiring a license to buy a deadly handgun is a commonsense step that could save countless lives."[71]
In response to the2017 Las Vegas shooting, Van Hollen co-sponsored a bill to banbump stocks.[72]
Van Hollen supports theAffordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) and has defended it many times.[73][74][75][76][77] He ispro-choice[78] and was an original co-sponsor of theWomen's Health Protection Act of 2021.[79]
In May 2020, Van Hollen voiced his opposition toIsrael's plan toannex parts of the Israeli-occupiedWest Bank.[80]
In January 2024, during theGaza war, Van Hollen voted for a resolution proposed by SenatorBernie Sanders to apply theForeign Assistance Act'shuman rights provisions toU.S. aid to Israel's military. The proposal was defeated, 72 to 11.[81] After the Israeli military shot and killed an American activist in theWest Bank in 2024, Van Hollen urged the Biden administration to hold Israel accountable for its actions, saying "If theNetanyahu government will not pursue justice for Americans, theDepartment of Justice must".[82][83] In November 2024, Van Hollen criticized Biden for what he saw as Biden's "inaction" in holding Israel accountable for not letting aid intoGaza, calling Biden's conduct "weak" and "shameful".[84] In April 2025, Van Hollen voted for a pair of resolutions Sanders proposed to cancel theTrump administration's sales of $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israel. The proposals were defeated, 82 to 15.[85]
In July 2025, Van Hollen called for an end to funding theGaza Humanitarian Foundation for its role inmass killings in the Gaza Strip and a restoration of funding forUNRWA.[86]
In July 2019, Van Hollen cosponsored the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act, a bill introduced byBen Cardin andRob Portman that would create a privately funded memorial to be constructed on federal lands in Washington, D.C. to honor journalists, photographers, and broadcasters who died in the line of duty.[87]
Van Hollen signed a letter in July 2017 in opposition to an announcedmilitary ban against transgender soldiers.[88]
Van Hollen received a 0% rating for theCitizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), and theNational Taxpayers Union (NTU), in 2010.[89] Both these organizations advocate for lower taxes for everyone including the wealthy.[90][91] In 2006, Van Hollen received a 100% rating fromCitizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), a group that calls for higher taxes on the wealthy.[92] Van Hollen opposes eliminating the federal estate tax.[89][93]
Van Hollen and his wife Katherine have three children: Anna, Nicholas, and Alexander.[94] Van Hollen is ofDutch descent[95] and isEpiscopalian.[96][97]
On May 15, 2022, Van Hollen announced that he had a minorstroke over that weekend and would stay atGeorge Washington University Hospital for a few days. He further said he was expected to make a full recovery with no long-term effects and would return to his work in the Senate later in the week.[98]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen | 112,788 | 51.74 | |||
| Republican | Connie Morella (incumbent) | 103,587 | 47.52 | |||
| Write-in | 1,599 | 0.73 | ||||
| Total votes | 217,974 | 100.00 | ||||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen (incumbent) | 215,129 | 74.91 | |
| Republican | Chuck Floyd | 71,989 | 25.07 | |
| Write-in | 79 | 0.03 | ||
| Total votes | 287,197 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen (incumbent) | 168,872 | 76.52 | |
| Republican | Jeffrey M. Stein | 48,324 | 21.90 | |
| Green | Gerard P. Giblin | 3,298 | 1.49 | |
| Write-in | 191 | 0.09 | ||
| Total votes | 220,685 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen (incumbent) | 229,740 | 75.08 | |
| Republican | Steve Hudson | 66,351 | 21.68 | |
| Green | Gordon Clark | 6,828 | 2.23 | |
| Libertarian | Ian Thomas | 2,562 | 0.84 | |
| Write-in | 533 | 0.17 | ||
| Total votes | 306,014 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen (incumbent) | 153,613 | 73.27 | |
| Republican | Michael Lee Philips | 52,421 | 25.00 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Grannis | 2,713 | 1.29 | |
| Constitution | Fred Nordhorn | 696 | 0.33 | |
| Write-in | 224 | 0.11 | ||
| Total votes | 209,667 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen (incumbent) | 217,531 | 63.37 | |
| Republican | Kenneth R. Timmerman | 113,033 | 32.93 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Grannis | 7,235 | 2.11 | |
| Green | George Gluck | 5,064 | 1.48 | |
| Write-in | 393 | 0.11 | ||
| Total votes | 343,256 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen (incumbent) | 136,722 | 60.74 | |
| Republican | Dave Wallace | 87,859 | 39.03 | |
| Write-in | 516 | 0.23 | ||
| Total votes | 225,097 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen | 470,320 | 53.18 | |
| Democratic | Donna Edwards | 343,620 | 38.86 | |
| Democratic | Freddie Dickson | 14,856 | 1.68 | |
| Democratic | Theresa Scaldaferri | 13,178 | 1.49 | |
| Democratic | Violet Staley | 10,244 | 1.16 | |
| Democratic | Lih Young | 8,561 | 0.96 | |
| Democratic | Charles Smith | 7,912 | 0.89 | |
| Democratic | Ralph Jaffe | 7,161 | 0.81 | |
| Democratic | Blaine Taylor | 5,932 | 0.67 | |
| Democratic | Ed Tinus | 2,560 | 0.29 | |
| Total votes | 884,344 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen | 1,659,907 | 60.89 | −1.30 | |
| Republican | Kathy Szeliga | 972,557 | 35.67 | −0.08 | |
| Green | Margaret Flowers | 89,970 | 3.30 | +2.17 | |
| Write-in | 3,736 | 0.14 | +0.03 | ||
| Total votes | 2,726,170 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Democratichold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Van Hollen (incumbent) | 1,316,897 | 65.7 | +4.88 | |
| Republican | Chris Chaffee | 682,293 | 34.0 | −1.60 | |
| Write-in | 3,146 | 0.16 | +0.02 | ||
| Total votes | 2,002,336 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Democratichold | |||||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)he did not apologize, just clarified his statements
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)"President Biden's inaction, given the suffering in Gaza, is shameful," Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland tells Mehdi on this week's 'Mehdi Unfiltered'. "I mean, there's no other word for it."
Van Hollen, who is of Dutch descent
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's 8th congressional district 2003–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theHouse Budget Committee 2011–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chair of theDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee 2007–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | House Democratic Assistant to the Leader 2009–2011 | Succeeded byas House Assistant Democratic Leader |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromMaryland (Class 3) 2016,2022 | Most recent |
| Preceded by | Chair of theDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committee 2017–2019 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by Barbara Mikulski | U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Maryland 2017–present Served alongside:Ben Cardin,Angela Alsobrooks | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | Order of precedence of the United States as United States Senator | Succeeded by |
| United States senators by seniority 57th | Succeeded by | |