Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar stands alongside state Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin before speaking at an election night watch party in St. Paul on Nov. 5. Abby Parr/AP Hide caption
toggle caption
Abby Parr/Associated Press
ST. PAUL — Ken Martin has endured a bleak outlook, deep divisions within the party and several crises in his nearly 14 years at the head of the Minnesota Democratic Party. But never during his tenure did he have to account for losing to the clock in a statewide race.
That’s because there was nothing.
This is a key selling point for Martin as he leads the Democratic National Committee. As the longtime leader of the Democratic Party Chairs Group, he also worked with state party leaders to raise funds for the party, highlighting the appeal of being from the heart of the country where Democrats desperately need recovery. It emphasizes that it has been successful.
With the loss of Vice President Harris at the top, the Democratic National Committee is looking for new leadership to move the party forward. Members will then meet in Maryland late next month to consider their options.
Martin, who currently serves as DNC vice chairman, is considered the frontrunner in the race. Martin says he’s confident he can turn things around for Democrats across the country.
“I think there’s a lot of people in D.C. who are interested in winning debates, and I’m interested in winning elections, so that’s why I’m running,” Martin said. “That’s what we’ve done here in Minnesota, and I think we have a recipe for success that we can bring to the national party.”
Martin became leader of the Minnesota Democratic Party, known as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, in 2011. Despite having just won its first gubernatorial election in decades, the party was deeply in debt and sometimes viewed as adrift. Martin rallied party leaders, advocacy groups, and activists to set a new trajectory.
Fast forward to today, the party is doing well financially and hasn’t lost a statewide election since 2006. Martin says that’s what sets him apart from other candidates, including neighboring Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and New York State Sen. James Skoufis are also running.
“What we need to get us back on track is someone who has already done the job of rebuilding a party with low morale and is trying to find a way forward,” Martin said.
Mr. Wikler’s supporters argue there are advantages to electing a leader from a battleground state on the front lines of a closely contested election.
But Martin said he was thinking broader than that. Martin said the DNC needs to work with state Democratic parties across the country to refocus its energy and advocacy efforts. That means getting people on the ground year-round to engage with voters and recruiting candidates for elections at all levels.
He also said the party needs a revamp of its messaging and a new approach to where Democrats want to take their message. Martin said the scope needs to expand to include more podcasts, social media channels and a wider range of news outlets.
“The majority of Americans now believe that the Republican Party best represents the interests of the working class and poor, and the Democratic Party is for the rich and elite. “This is a terrible indictment of the Democratic Party,” Martin said. “We have to get back to re-branding ourselves in the eyes of voters, and part of that is connecting our very popular policy prescriptions with candidates and parties.”
To do that, Democrats need to remind voters that they, not Republicans, are pushing for policies like higher minimum wages, stronger worker protections, and paid family and medical leave benefits across the country. , Martin said.
“We are fighting for the people, the people who are working harder than ever,” he said. “And we have to get back to basics.”
Grant Reher, a political science professor at Syracuse University, said Martin’s argument makes sense for Democrats at this point.
“They need to try something different,” Reher said. “Perhaps they need to go back to their old roots as a Democratic Party and emphasize economic issues more clearly and focus less on identity.”
Martin said the party can do both. He said defending marginalized groups should not undermine the message to working-class Americans.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said Martin has a strong chance if he lives out the Minnesota Democratic Party’s credo of “we all do better when we all do better” on the national stage. He said he was deaf.
Ellison, who ran for DNC chairman in 2017 with Martin’s support, said, “If he can carry Minnesota’s message to the United States, we can hope that the Democratic Party can have the kind of success that Minnesota has enjoyed from a DFL perspective.” You will also be able to get it.” He eventually became vice chairman.
Dan Engelhart was a non-committal delegate to the Democratic National Convention, a movement protesting the Biden administration’s handling of the Gaza war. Despite his disagreements with Martin over the party’s platform, Engelhart said Martin is the best candidate for the next election.
“I think he’s a good fit. … As a non-committal delegation, he was certainly fair,” Engelhart said. “We were treated fairly, and that’s what really matters, given the general perception of the committed delegation at the DNC (Democratic National Convention).”
Minnesota Republicans also credit Martin with helping cultivate Minnesota’s Democratic Party.
“We’re very polarized politically, but I think the DFL has built a pretty strong organization,” said Minnesota Republican Party Chairman David Hung. “I think you have to give Ken Martin a lot of credit for that.”
The DNC is expected to select a new leader after a series of candidate forums next month. Until then, Martin wants to make the case that the Minnesota model should be followed.
Minnesota Public Radio reporter Clay Masters contributed to this report.
