Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin announces run to lead Democratic National Committee
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor chair Ken Martin, who's led the state party for more than a decade, on Tuesday announced a bid to lead the Democratic National Committee as the party looks to rebuild in the wake of bruising electoral defeats this month.
Martin has been DFL chair since 2011 and is currently vice chair of the DNC, experience he highlighted in his announcement for the role. Under his leadership, the state party has become a fundraising and organizing juggernaut that has contributed to Democrats' streak of success for statewide offices — which Republicans here have not won since 2006.
"If you're looking for a creature of D.C., that's not me, but I do know how the DNC works and how it isn't working," Martin said in his announcement video posted on social media. "I know how to listen to the voters, to those who feel cast aside by Democrats, and to the people working hard within our party who have great ideas."
Martin O'Malley, the former governor of Maryland, is also running as chair of the DNC. He most recently served as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration but submitted his resignation letter to President Biden on Monday. Current DNC Chair Jamie Harrison is not expected to run for reelection for his position.
Minnesota has had the longest stretch of voting for a Democrat for president of any state in the nation; its Electoral College votes have not gone for a Republican since Richard Nixon in 1972.
Martin called Minnesota "the last of the 'Blue Wall' states still standing" and highlighted progressive policy wins approved by the DFL-led legislature in the last two years when Democrats had total control over state government. While Minnesota went blue in the presidential race and reelected DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar, after the election the trifecta appears to have been broken up as the state House eyes a tied chamber with some close race recounts outstanding.
"We need to reconnect our ideas, which we know are popular in red, blue and purple states across this country, back to our party and to our candidates," Martin said. "My motto is build to win, build to expand, build to last. Politics is not a sport. We just can't pat ourselves on the back and then head home to lick our wounds for the next four years, because when the Trump agenda fails Americans as it most certainly will, they need to know that we have their back together."
Before becoming chair of the DFL Party, Martin previously worked on various campaigns, including former Gov. Mark Dayton in 2010 and the presidential campaigns of John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000.