Scoop: Rahm Emanuel weighs bid for DNC chair

Driving the news: The current DNC chair, Jamie Harrison, was elected in 2021 and is unlikely to seek a second term, which would begin in March.

• David Axelrod, who steered Barack Obama's campaigns and is a friend of Emanuel, floated earlier this week that the combative and energetic Emanuel would be an ideal leader for a deflated party.
• "If they said, 'Well, what should we do? Who should lead the party?' I would take Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, and I would bring him back from Japan and I would appoint him chairman of the Democratic National Committee," Axelrod said on his podcast, "Hacks on Tap."
• He added on X the next day: "There may be others but he is kind of [sui generis]: Dude knows how to fight and win!"

Since then, some Democrats have been calling Emanuel to encourage him to run.

• In response, he has asked them about what the process is like and whether there's a list of the few hundred DNC members who will elect the next chair, two people familiar with the situation said.
• Emanuel declined to comment.

Reality check: Emanuel has accumulated Democratic foes over the decades — especially those in the party's left wing who point to some of his actions as Chicago mayor.

• Even his detractors admire Emanuel's "don't take no for an answer" energy, but his style could hurt his chance to become chairman.

Zoom out: Several other prominent Democrats are circling around the post.

• They include former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair Ken Martin and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, people familiar with their moves told Axios.
• The race is likely to draw many other candidates as well.