Sen. Charles Schumer will become a leader in the Democratic Party's national effort to regain momentum — abandoning a possible run for governor in 2006, his office said Monday.

Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed to head the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and take a seat on the powerful Finance Committee, giving up his anticipated 2006 gubernatorial campaign, a race which could have pitted him in a primary against state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.

Schumer, fresh off a record-setting re-election win, phoned incoming Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid Sunday night to accept the offer.

"In short, this was an offer that, for the sake of New York, I could not refuse," Schumer said in a statement. "I called Senator Reid last night, telling him I had accepted his offer along with its concomitant commitment that I see the DSCC job through the 2006 election and run for no other office."

Link.

Schumer is a great fundraiser (as was Jon Corzine, who was not entirely successful at his post) but is also a good television personality (unlike Corzine). Hopefully he will succeed as head of the DSCC and help the Dems get closer to retaking the Senate in two years.