“This really is an inflection point for the Democratic Party,” said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov.
Here, a list of reasons for beleaguered Democrats to pick — or pass over — some of the more frequently mentioned potential candidates for DNC chair.
Ben Wikler Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Reasons to pick Of all the Blue Wall states, Wikler’s Wisconsin held down Donald Trump’s margins the most.
James Skoufis New York state senator Reasons to pick The field’s self-described “outsider,” Skoufis, 37, hails from a district Trump won.
Rahm Emanuel Outgoing U.S. ambassador to Japan Reasons to pick David Axelrod has floated his old Obama ally as “the most skillful, political kind of infighter in the Democratic Party.
Pennsylvania Lt. said, “This is a real turning point for the Democratic Party.”. Gov. Austin Davis, incoming Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association chair and DNC member.
Members of the Democratic National Committee have nominated four candidates and are considering several more. A list of the reasons why overwhelmed Democrats should choose—or not choose—some of the more often mentioned DNC chair candidates can be found here.
Ken Martin.
The chair of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota.
reasons to choose.
As the president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, among other leadership positions across the nation and the Midwest, Martin is the ultimate technician and process operator who is familiar with all the players. Of the endorsements he needs to win the race, he has already secured roughly half. The party is unlikely to go to war over his candidacy.
reasons to pass.
Martin’s candidacy is unlikely to bring about the kind of radical change in the party’s philosophy that some insiders believe the party needs. As the vice-chair of the national party since 2017, the quiet Midwesterner, who also served as co-chair of the Biden-Harris and Harris-Walz presidential campaigns, doesn’t exactly shout change at a time when voters appear to be demanding it.
O’Malley Martin.
former commissioner of the Social Security Administration and governor of Maryland.
reasons to choose.
Leading the Democratic Governors Association and a 2016 presidential candidate, O’Malley defeated Martin in the contest. He boasts connections throughout the party.
reasons to pass.
Once touted as the product of the future, O’Malley is the Dippin’ Dots of Democratic politics—always leaving something to be desired in the here and now. It is unclear why he is making a comeback to electoral politics at this time, as he hasn’t been deeply involved in it for almost ten years. 14 years ago, in 2010, he won his last election, which was a long time ago from the current political climate. Weather-wise and otherwise, his 2016 presidential campaign came to a near-complete halt. In December 2015, weeks before the caucuses, Iowa received 8 inches of snow from a Midwestern snowstorm, but only one person showed up for the caucuses. The man was not committed after meeting O’Malley. Before leaving the race, O’Malley received less than 1% of the vote.
Wikler, Ben.
The chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
reasons to choose.
Wikler’s Wisconsin reduced Donald Trump’s margins more than any other Blue Wall state. Hailed as “the best state chair in the country,” he was a former podcast host before they were important in politics and a former senior adviser at MoveOn with the kind of fundraising network and media reach Democrats desire. “”.
reasons to pass.
Though it’s unclear if Wikler would captivate national donors or light up cable television, he shines on X, where he’s approaching 200,000 followers. He is regarded as a process guy, just like Martin, another Midwesterner. If the party adopts a model where the chair serves more as a figurehead fundraiser and messenger and Wikler is left to handle blocking and tackling, he might be the perfect executive director in some respects.
James Skoufis.
Senator from New York State.
reasons to choose.
The 37-year-old “outsider” of the field, Skoufis, is from a district that Trump won. One of the 46 New York counties that the president-elect captured was his home county of Orange, which Skoufis won by 13 points in 2023. He has never lost a vote.
reasons to pass.
He has no prior experience as a national or local party leader.
Blake Michael.
former assemblyman from New York.
reasons to choose.
Like another New Yorker, former Rep., the former assemblyman and DNC vice chair is a driven political figure. Max Rose is considering a possible bid as well. Blake, a Jamaican immigrant’s son, would add some diversity to an otherwise predominantly white field. His hand has been raised for the position.
reasons to pass.
Nobody seems to be calling on him, though. Blake announced a bid for mayor of New York City almost concurrently with his pursuit of the DNC position; many party members consider this strategy to be essentially nonsensical. “NYC. DNC. He wrote, “A new day is coming,” on X. Not even six reposts were made of it.
Rahm Emanuel.
departing U. S. . the ambassador to Japan.
reasons to choose.
David Axelrod has floated his old Obama ally as “the most skillful, political kind of infighter in the Democratic Party. He has served as a member of Congress, the chief of staff of the White House, and the mayor of Chicago. In 2005 and 2006, he led the effort to retake the House and is currently ambassador to Japan, Axelrod stated on his podcast Hacks on Tap. Indeed, no contender fights like Emanuel does in real life or on cable television. He is skilled at approaching national donors to solicit funding. He is skilled at centering the gathering. Soon, Emanuel will go back home to “talk and listen to folks at home about [the] best way to serve and build what we care about,” he told the Chicago Sun-Times. “”.
reasons to pass.
Party insiders who are looking for a change candidate might not want Emanuel because he has been a prominent member of the Democratic Party for about 40 years.
Sherrod Brown.
U. S. . senator from Ohio.
reasons to choose.
If Democrats have lost touch with large portions of the middle of the country, the departing senator from Ohio, who lost a fiercely contested race to auto dealer Bernie Moreno, may be the best person to restore that perception. He and his supporters raised $83.3 million, more than his opponent, and his nationwide fundraising network is unmatched in the field. Other Democratic candidates can use his Rust Belt brand as a model. Additionally, Brown exudes an unrivaled authenticity outside of the Beltway, which makes him feel at ease both in a Washington greenroom and on a picket line.
reasons to pass.
After a losing Senate bid, it’s unclear if Brown has the motivation or resources for what looks to be a brutal political moment in a second Trump term. It is unclear if his party supporters will be successful in convincing him to enter the race.
Shakir, Faiz.
Bernie Sanders’s campaign manager in 2020.
reasons to choose.
Shakir would provide a new viewpoint to a party that is desperate for one, much like Chuck Rocha, the Democratic strategist and self-described “non-college-educated Mexican redneck” who is also considering a DNC run. Unlike some other Sanders alums, he is respected more by the more moderate faction of the party and is the obvious progressive in the field.
reasons to pass.
It’s possible that Shakir would be more appropriate as an executive director or CEO of the party organization in the end, rather than a major cable booking or donor attraction.
Mallory McMorrow. .
Senator from Michigan.
reasons to choose.
Democrats lost this election cycle’s culture wars to Republicans, who bombarded the battleground states with millions of dollars’ worth of advertisements attacking transgender rights. Nobody has the expertise to neutralize such attacks like McMorrow, who gained notoriety in a battleground that Democrats lost in 2024 after using a 4:43-minute speech in the Michigan Senate to deflect a Republican rival’s baseless accusation in 2022 that she was “grooming and sexualizing children.”. She started a nationwide platform and fundraising network after that speech, raising more than $1 million to turn the chamber over to the Democrats.
reasons to pass.
