Schatz’s Path to Whip Clears as Schumer Backs Him for No. 2

Sen. Brian Schatz secured public backing from the top Democrat in the Senate in his race for whip, a crucial endorsement likely to help to clear his way to the No. 2 job in his party in the next Congress.

The race for the whip job kicked off earlier this year when longtime No. 2 Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced he wouldn’t seek re-election. Schatz (D-Hawaii) quickly jumped in to campaign for the post and has hustled to win the backing of a growing list of his colleagues, culminating in the formal endorsement from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) ...