Democrats will begin the process of rebuilding their leadership Thursday afternoon when a subgroup of the Democratic National Committee meets in Washington to set the rules for electing a new party chairman to succeed Jamie Harrison.
The DNC’s rules and bylaws committee will lay out procedural guidelines for the simmering race to lead the campaign and fundraising arm of the national party, which is engaged in self-reflection and a touch of finger-pointing at Joe Biden’s and Kamala’s vulnerabilities and pitfalls Harris’ bid for The White House and who exactly is to blame.
Some details expected to be hashed out Thursday include when four candidate forums, effectively mini-debates, will take place and if any of them will be moderated on live television, as well as polling and voting procedures. Conducting this election will be one of the last acts of the current RBC, led by Minyon Moore and Jim Roosevelt Jr., as a new party chairman can shake up the membership.
And the candidates have just eight weeks to present their case to the body’s 448 members, who will elect their new leader on February 1.
In this Aug. 18, 2024, file photo, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison looks on during final preparations for the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago.
Francis Chung/Politico via AP, FILE
The field, which currently consists of five men — four white and one Latino — could get even more crowded in the new year. But so far the declared candidates are: Ken Martin, chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party; former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley; New York State Senator James Skoufis; and Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler. And former Department of Homeland Security official Nate Snyder announced his bid Wednesday.
To qualify for the upcoming forums, these candidates must have at least 40 members support their bid via petition.
Many of the candidates are expected to attend Thursday’s meeting.
Just like running for public office — or possibly school board — candidates hire a staff, launch their own websites, hand out swag and begin working the phones behind the scenes to get the nearly 230 votes needed to win. Martin’s crew, for example, is nicknamed KNOT — Ken’s national organization team.
Perhaps the most familiar name to DNC members is Martin, who serves as vice chair of the organization alongside his DFL role. He is also a sitting member of the RBC, with long ties to state and local party building. Martin’s campaign confirmed to ABC News that he has over 100 endorsements from DNC members.
Wikler, another Midwesterner, also has significant name ID and is a popular choice across the party spectrum, supported by centrist group Third Way and further left like MoveOn and Bold Progressives on the same day. Wikler also joined Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show” earlier this week.
“Ben is an unstoppable unifier, organizer and messenger who knows how to win tough elections,” Brianna Johnson, spokesperson for DNC Chair Ben Wikler, told ABC News. “Since he became chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party — in a 50-50 state — Wisconsin Democrats have won 7 of the last 10 statewide races, raised more money than any other state party over the same period, and reclaimed power in a state that was once manipulated by Republicans.”
In this Sept. 11, 2024, file photo, Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley testifies before the Senate Budget Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC
Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images, FILE
O’Malley and Skoufis have appeared on cable news outlets to boost their bids as well, saying they are not dependent on the Washington donor class.
Internally, Martin’s network appears to be working in his favor, said a DNC member with close knowledge of the candidates, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak freely about the process.
“He’s working the phones with more calls to undecided DNC members and has a strong surrogate campaign to do the same. His network as ASDC chair seems to be working in his favor, though it looks like he could have hit a wall of endorsements,” the DNC member said.
In contrast, the same member says they and a handful of other members they’ve spoken to have yet to hear from O’Malley by phone — just by email.
“I haven’t heard from anybody that he’s talked to, unlike the Martin and Wikler campaigns, who are actively whipping up votes,” the DNC member said.
An O’Malley aide told ABC News that the former Maryland governor recently resigned from his post as commissioner of the Social Security Administration to seek the DNC role, and his team is working around the clock to reach all 447 members.
“Democrats are looking for an operational leader, and in this contest it’s Martin O’Malley,” the aide said. “He’s running as a change maker, not a caretaker with a record as mayor, governor and commissioner of bringing people together to deliver success.” said the helper.
A dark horse candidate could also shake up the momentum, allowing for a wide-open race. The DNC’s executive committee meets Friday, though little news is expected from the smaller gathering.
