Reports: Tom Perez is closing in on votes needed to win DNC chair race
Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez says he now has the support of 180 members of the Democratic National Committee to serve as its chairman, nearing the 224-vote threshold needed to win, according to reports.
Perez’s campaign announced the support in an email to members of the DNC Tuesday afternoon, The Hill and Politico reported, with the final vote scheduled for later this month.
His main opponent is Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, who has received support from Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden, former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and former Attorney General Eric Holder have decided to back Perez.
Other candidates in the race include Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana; Sally Boynton-Brown, the executive director of the Idaho Democratic Party, South Carolina chair Jaime Harrison, Raymond Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party and former TV commentator Jehmu Greene, according to Politico.
The candidates are set to participate in a final forum before the election Wednesday evening.