Who wants to run the Democratic National Committee?
Some top Democrats are already expressing interest in taking over as the leader of the Democratic National Committee.
Someone who’s already had the job, former DNC Chairman Howard Dean, said Thursday that he’s interested in the job and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said he’s considering it, too.
Rep. Keith Ellison is also being floated as a possible next chairman. Progressives are pushing for the Minnesota Democrat to take over, and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, who is expected to be the next Democratic leader in the Senate, has spoken with Ellison and said he would support him.
Without a Democratic White House, Schumer’s view is that the DNC is where grassroots organizing, in sync with legislative battles, should be organized.
In a statement Thursday, MoveOn.org Political Action’s executive director, Ilya Sheyman, said the DNC needs to “clean house” and choose a new leader who will “stand up to all efforts by Trump and Republicans to move their harmful and bigoted agenda, which lost the national popular vote.”
“To do this, we need to bring back a real 50-state organizing strategy. Rep. Keith Ellison would be an excellent DNC chair,” Sheyman said.
Ellison became the first Muslim elected to Congress in 2007 and has served on Capitol Hill for the last 10 years. During the 2016 Democratic primary, he became the second House member to back Sen. Bernie Sander’s presidential bid.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Sanders said he is lobbying for Ellison to take over.
“You can’t tell working people you’re on their side while at the same time you’re raising money from Wall Street and the billionaire class,” Sanders said. “The Democratic Party has to be focused on grassroots America and not wealthy people attending cocktail parties.”
During a conference call Thursday with Democracy for Action, Ellison said he would make an announcement Monday about whether he would pursue it.
Dean, who ran for president in 2004, said he would be interested in the job, too. He led the DNC from 2005 until 2009 and is credited with helping Democrats win back control of the House in the 2006 midterm elections.
O’Malley, who ran for president in the 2016 Democratic primary, tweeted Friday that he has been approached by many Democrats who believe the party needs new leadership.
Donna Brazile has served as interim chairwoman of the party since Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned from her role over the summer.
CBS News’ John Nolen contributed to this report.
