Democrats Elect Ken Martin As New DNC Chair: ‘We Are Going To Take This Fight To Donald Trump’

On Saturday, Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor party, was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Martin received a majority of 246 out of 428 votes. 

“We’re going to get to work,” he said in his victory speech. “We’re going to fight; we’re going to go out there and take this fight to Donald Trump and the Republicans, and we’re going to fight for working people in this party.” 

“Fight for working people” references Martin’s promise to support the working class. Martin himself is the son of a single mother and is a first-generation college graduate. At a recent candidate forum, he said, “I don’t rub elbows with billionaires or Hollywood elites; I rub elbows with working people in union halls, on picket lines, at civil rights marches and at protests,” emphasizing his grassroots efforts and support for the working class. 

The second-place candidate, Ben Wikler, was criticized for depending on big donors to fund his campaign. Billionaires George Soros and Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, each gave Wikler $250,000. However, Martin also received a $100,000 donation from billionaire Vance Opperman. Martin said that he allows donations from wealthy contributors to compete with the Republican Party’s substantial backing from billionaire investors but does not take money from investors who do not share his values. 

Martin steps into the position following the Democratic party’s losses in the November presidential election and the challenge of four more years of Trump in office. 

The former chair, Jaime Harrison, decided not to run for reelection after the Democratic party lost the presidency and both chambers of Congress.

Martin has support from many members of the Democratic party, including Marianne Williamson, author and fellow chair candidate. She endorsed Martin, saying he is “our best chance to cut the cord with the billionaire-funded corruption that will otherwise obstruct and limit our possibilities.”