Overview

• The Democratic National Committee will elect its next chair on February 1, 2025, following widespread party losses in the November elections.
• Notable candidates include Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Chair Ken Martin, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, and others, each emphasizing strategies to reconnect with voters.
• Ben Wikler has gained endorsements from both progressive and centrist groups, including MoveOn.org, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Third Way, highlighting his appeal across the party's ideological spectrum.
• Ken Martin is seen as a frontrunner, securing over 100 endorsements and emphasizing his track record of statewide Democratic victories in Minnesota since 2011.
• Candidates broadly agree on the need to rebuild working-class support, with differing approaches, such as Wikler’s focus on a year-round campaign model and Martin’s emphasis on defining the party’s values beyond opposition to Trump.