Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin elected next DNC leader
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Ken Martin has led Minnesota's DFL Party since 2011. Photo: Christopher Mark Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images (cropped)
Ken Martin was elected on Saturday to serve as the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, putting him at the helm of a party trying to rebuild its image after a disappointing 2024 cycle.
Why it matters: Martin, the longtime chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, wants to help the party get "back to basics" with a revamped messaging strategy aimed at winning back working-class voters who have drifted to the right.
- Martin, considered a favorite heading into the Saturday vote, beat out fellow midwesterner Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler and half a dozen other candidates.
- Martin won 246.5 votes from the DNC's 448 voting members, multiple outlets reported.
Driving the news: In the crowded race for DNC chair, Martin's pitch zeroed on his winning record as chair of the Minnesota DFL. In the 14 years in charge, his party did not lose a single statewide race, giving him a 25-0 record.
- Martin wants to take his winning state record to the national level, a message that clearly resonated with Democrats still reeling from losses up and down the ballot on Nov. 5.
- "My record is unrivaled and unmatched in terms of winning elections and building power around the issues we care about," Martin told the Minnesota Reformer.
- Martin demonstrated his strong fundraising prowess as DFL chair, a skill that he'll now need to leverage at the national level. Fundraising is one of the biggest jobs for the DNC chair.
Between the lines: As a longtime party leader and DNC vice chair, Martin locked up support among party officials across the country but bigger names were split over who to support.
- Wikler drew the public backing of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other big names like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The big picture: The race for DNC chair comes after an election cycle that put President Trump in the White House and Republicans in control of both houses of Congress.
- As DNC chair, Martin will help lead the party's strategy and messaging, including by appearing on media himself to represent the party.
- He will also have influence over setting the order for the 2028 Democratic primary, which could see Minnesota moving up its spot in the calendar.
Go deeper: Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin in the running to lead DNC
Axios' Torey Van Oot contributed reporting.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with the vote total.
