The Democratic National Committee will hold leadership elections on Feb. 1, 2025. The move was announced on Monday through a statement.
Jaime Harrison, the current chair, has chosen not to run again following his party’s defeat in the 2024 presidential election, where Democrat Kamala Harris lost to Republican Donald Trump. Now, Democratic leadership is figuring out how to rebuild the party, what policies it will platform, and how it will oppose Trump moving forward. But first, it has to figure out who will lead it.
“As my time as Chair comes to a close and we prepare to undertake the critical work of holding the Trump Administration and Republican Party accountable for their extremism and false promises, we are beginning to lay out the process for upcoming DNC officer elections in the New Year,” said Harrison. “The DNC is committed to running a transparent, equitable, and impartial election for the next generation of leadership to guide the party forward.”
So far, two people have declared their candidacy for the coveted role: Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party; and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who also ran for president in 2016.
“We have to do two things at the same time,” O’Malley said in a podcast interview with Bloomberg on Friday. “We have to rebuild our party, and we have to reconnect with the working people across America who are experiencing a higher cost of living. … That’s always been the core of our party since [President Franklin D. Roosevelt]. … We became a little bit untethered from that at the national level.”
According to the Associated Press, other candidates may include former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke; Michael Blake, a former vice chair of the DNC; Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin; and former Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel.
The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet on Dec. 12 to discuss the election rules, according to Harrison’s statement. Then, in January, the DNC will host four candidate forums.
“The forums will provide opportunities for engagement of grassroots Democrats throughout the United States, but will focus on the questions and concerns of DNC members, elected representatives who will ultimately vote to elect the incoming officers,” the statement said.
The DNC will host its winter meeting for members from Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. During this time, members will vote for the incoming DNC officers, including the chair, vice chair, and other high-level positions.
Meanwhile, prominent Democrats have been criticized for their recent inability to connect with their longtime base of working-class voters––and for their acquiescence to a figure they called a “fascist,” a “genuine danger” to U.S. security, and “a threat to democracy.”
As the 118th session of Congress winds down, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has spent the final weeks of November stressing the need for Democrats to refocus on the “economic challenges” facing Americans.
Democrats’ path forward remains uncertain, though. Will they adapt, rebuild, and redefine their vision, or will they remain adrift in the wake of their most recent, consequential loss?
