Nearly three months after Democrats’ major setbacks up and down the ballot in the 2024 elections, the party gathers on Saturday to choose new leadership.
It’s the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) first formal step to try and emerge from the political wilderness and rebound in upcoming elections after President Donald Trump recaptured the White House and Republicans flipped the Senate, held onto their fragile majority in the House, and made significant gains with working-class, minority, and younger voters.
With no clear leader in the party, the next DNC chair will become the de facto face of Democrats from coast to coast and will make major decisions on messaging, strategy, infrastructure, and where to allocate millions in political contributions.
“It’s an important opportunity for us to not only refocus the party and what we present to voters, but also an opportunity for us to look at how we internally govern ourselves,” said longtime New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley in an interview.
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Buckley, a former DNC vice chair, expressed excitement about the potential for significant reform within the party and emphasized the need for “significantly more support for the state parties,” which he believes is critical for returning to majority status.
Eight candidates are vying to succeed DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, who opted against seeking a second consecutive four-year term leading the national party committee.
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The next chair, along with vice chairs and other officers, will be elected by approximately 450 DNC voting members gathered for the party’s winter meeting at National Harbor, just outside Washington, D.C.
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin, a DNC vice chair who has led the association of state Democratic Party chairs, is considered the frontrunner for chair heading into Saturday’s election, with Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler closely following.
Martin recently stated that if he becomes chair, his first task would be to “figure out a plan to win.” He emphasized the importance of examining the party’s finances and contracts, as well as uniting all stakeholder groups.
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Wikler, in an interview, highlighted the necessity of demonstrating to voters that the party is “fighting for them against those who would try to rig the economy for those at the very top.” He pointed out the importance of delivering this message in areas where people may not be closely following politics but are aware of their personal struggles.
Also considered a competitive candidate is Martin O’Malley, the former two-term Maryland governor and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate who served as commissioner of the Social Security Administration during President Biden’s last year in office.
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O’Malley expressed his motivation for running for DNC chair, stating, “I love my country, and the only way we’re going to save the Republic is if the Democratic Party gets itself battle-ready as quickly as possible.” He underscored his experience in steering the Democratic Governors Association and emphasized the need to recruit candidates across the ballot to restore the party’s strength.
Among the longer-shot candidates are late entry Faiz Shakir, who managed the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Marianne Williamson, who ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 and 2024 Democratic presidential nominations.
Williamson remarked, “This party’s not going to rise up unless there’s some deeper honesty,” as she criticized the Democratic establishment after the final chair election forum.
Throughout the three-month DNC campaign, debates have largely centered on modern political campaign logistics, including media strategy, messaging, fundraising, grassroots organizing, and get-out-the-vote efforts. Candidates generally agree that changes are necessary to win back blue-collar voters who have shifted their support to Republicans.
However, the final forum also saw a heavy focus on systemic racism and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, which some analysts believe negatively impacted Democrats at the ballot box in November.
The forum, moderated and broadcast live on MSNBC and held at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., faced interruptions from left-wing protesters who raised concerns about climate change and the influence of billionaires in American elections before being removed by security.
The chair election comes amid troubling national poll results for the Democrats. A recent Quinnipiac University survey indicated that only 31% of respondents held a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, while 57% viewed the party unfavorably. This marks the highest percentage of unfavorable opinions recorded since the Quinnipiac University Poll began tracking this question.
In contrast, 43% of those surveyed expressed a favorable view of the GOP, with 45% holding an unfavorable opinion, the highest favorable rating for the Republican Party in Quinnipiac polling history.