DemDaily: DNC Elects New Leadership!
February 3. 2025
The Democratic National Committee elected its new leadership Saturday, led by new DNC Chair Ken Martin.
Martin, who is President of the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) and Chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farm-Labor Party, won the first round with 246.5 votes of the 428 cast -- easily securing the majority needed to win.
A crowded ballroom at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, where the DNC is holding its Winter Meeting, erupted into cheers as outgoing Chair Jamie Harrison read the results around 1:30pm.
Martin, who has worked closely with every state party since being elected as ASDC President in 2017, and unanimously reelected in 2021, was favored at the outset.
Under his 14-year stewardship of the Minnesota DFL, Democrats haven't lost a single statewide race, and the 2022 midterms saw the party maintain the governorship and the state House while regaining control of the State Senate by a single vote.
This produced the first DFL Legislative Trifecta since 2014, allowing Democrats to pass a generation’s worth of liberal reforms in just four months -- known as "The Minnesota Miracle."
Two of the other seven contenders --Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler and former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley -- waged serious, high-profile campaigns that drew major public support as well.
Wikler, who is credited with running the model state party, had the endorsement of some of the party's biggest powerbrokers, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY), former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA), and nine governors, as well as some of the country's largest progressive labor unions.
| The vote, however, laid solely with DNC members -- who awarded Martin 246.5 votes, Wikler 134.5 and O'Malley 44. Former Sanders for President Senior Advisor Faiz Shakir received two votes; Newton, Massachusetts Democratic City Committeeman Jason Paul received one; and former congressional candidate Quintessa Hathaway none. After speaking prior to the vote Saturday, former Department of Homeland Security official Nate Snyder dropped out and endorsed Martin, as did author Marianne Williamson. |
In the Secretary and Treasurer's elections, incumbents Jason Rae and Virginia McGregor, respectively, easily won reelection. National Finance Chair Chris Korge, who will be joined by former Deputy Finance Chair Christopher Lowe as Co-Finance Chair, comfortably won a third term.
Much of the Winter Meeting's energy swirled around the Vice Chair elections. Attorney and former Director of Civic Engagement and Voter Protection for the DNC Reyna Walters-Morgan prevailed over seven other contenders to win the important Vice Chair for Civic Engagement & Voter Participation. She defeated former New York Assemblyman Michael Blake and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH) in the third round of voting.
It was the final vote for the three Vice Chair At-Large seats -- which started with 18 candidates in the first round -- that generated the most suspense as the final hour stretched into three over four rounds.
As the lowest vote-getters in each round were eliminated, the narrowing field and realignment of votes altered the dynamic of the frontrunners. Of the third ballot, AFL-CIO National Campaign Director Artie Blanco won a significant majority, awarding her the first of the General VC slots.
Pennsylvania State Representative and 2022 Senate Candidate Malcolm Kenyetta and March For Our Lives Co-Founder and gun safety activist David Hogg ultimately emerged victorious from the final round.
| “Today’s elections mark a new chapter in DNC leadership, and Donald Trump and his billionaire allies are put on notice: we will hold them accountable for ripping off working families, and we will beat them at the ballot box...The Democratic Party is the party of working people, and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and outcompete everywhere, in every election, and at every level of government..." - DNC Chair Ken Martin |
In a unifying acceptance speech emphasizing "One Party, One Fight," Martin said, "It's time for our party to do three things:
"First is to Unite. We have to rebuild our coalition. We have to ignore the noise. We have to focus with intensity on the goal ahead which is winning elections to improve people's lives.
"Second, we need to go on offense. Trump's first weeks have shown us what happens when amateur hour meets demolition derby. Right? At the same time, he has invited all these billionaires to mine, extract and profit off our government. This is our time. Right now. It is the people's government. It is not another resource for ultra-ellites to exploit.
"Lastly and the third, is we are going to take tonight and enjoy the moment, and we're going to build new alliances, but then we are going to get to work. We're going to fight, and we are going to go out there and take this fight to Donald Trump and the Republicans, and we are going to fight for working people again in this party. Thank you Democrats. Thank you so much. It is the honor of my life."
The Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) held their election for Martin's successor on Sunday, February 2 -- electing Nebraska Party Chair Jane Kleeb as its next President. As a part of senior leadership, Kleeb is also considered a Vice Chair.
Related
DemDaily: DNC Charts Its Future 2/1/25
DemDaily: DNC Leadership Election: The Final Forum 1/30/25
DemDaily: Your Guide to The Democratic National Committee 1/28/25
DemDaily: DNC Leadership Race: The First Forum 1/14/25
DemDaily: DNC Leadership Race: The Contenders 1/9/25
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