Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin in the running to lead DNC
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Ken Martin has led Minnesota's DFL Party since 2011. Photo: Christopher Mark Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images (cropped)
The longtime Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair could be promoted this weekend to leader of the Democratic National Committee.
Why it matters: The winner takes the reins of a party that's still reeling from 2024 losses and divided about how to rebuild under a second Trump presidency.
The big picture: Saturday's eight-way race to succeed outgoing DNC chair Jaime Harrison is shaping up to be a Midwestern border battle between Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin and Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler.
- Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and former Bernie Sanders campaign chief Faiz Shakir are among the other candidates.
State of play: Martin, who's led the DFL since 2011 and serves as president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, says he has commitments from about 200 DNC members — putting him just shy of the 225-vote threshold needed to secure the job at Saturday's party meeting.
- Wikler, who has the backing of Democratic heavyweights Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, has questioned that whip count and accused Martin of trying to create a false sense of momentum.
What they're saying: Martin has said he wants the party to get "back to basics" by focusing on a messaging makeover to win over working-class voters and building out its ground game across all 50 states.
- He points to Minnesota Democrats' 18-year statewide election winning streak as evidence that he's up for the job.
The other side: Wikler and his supporters, who also support better outreach to working-class voters, point to his fundraising success and argue that the party should pick a Democrat from a true swing state.
The intrigue: Martin has supported moving up Minnesota's spot in the presidential primary calendar.
- As DNC chair, he'd have significant influence in setting the order for the 2028 nominating contest.
What we're watching: If Martin wins, expect a competitive race to replace him at the helm of the state DFL in March.
- DFL operatives Alana Petersen and Richard Carlbom and DNC member Ron Harris all confirmed to Axios that they're considering a run.