A New Chapter for the Democratic Party
The resounding victory of Donald Trump leaves the Democratic Party facing existential questions, one of which is the imminent need for a new leader. Jaime Harrison, the current chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), is not anticipated to seek a second term, thereby creating a vacancy that must be filled by March 1, according to the party’s bylaws. The selection of a new chairman will undeniably reflect how the party seeks to represent itself moving forward and address the issues that hampered Democrats against Trump in 2024.
The Role of the Incoming Chair
The incoming chair will not only oversee the party’s 2028 nominating process, a complex and contentious exercise, but will also play a central role in the next presidential election. Harrison was criticized for favoring President Joe Biden despite doubts from many Democratic voters about his suitability for another term. Following Biden’s disastrous debate performance, Harrison was accused of pushing for a virtual roll call before Biden opted to withdraw.
The Debate Over Harrison’s Replacement
The early discussion over Harrison’s replacement appears to be divided along a clear line: Does the party require an operative with definitive skills and experience to reshape the party’s infrastructure, or does it need a communicator capable of responding to the Trump administration’s plans and selling Democratic ideas to a public that rejected them at the ballot box?
The Need for a Grassroots Approach
“They need to find someone from outside Washington who understands politics at the grassroots level,” stated Howard Dean, a former chair who took the position after George W. Bush won a second term as president. Dean has received calls from members urging him to run, but he has declined. “The DNC is often a creature of Washington, which is a major problem. … You have to have a DNC that is big enough to include the whole country.”
Speculations Over the New Chair
Even as a meeting is scheduled in Scottsdale, Arizona, in mid-December, there is already speculation about potential candidates. Some of the high-profile leaders being considered include Andy Beshear, Stacey Abrams, Phil Murphy, Beto O’Rourke, Pete Buttigieg; and Martin O’Malley.
The less prominent route includes state party chairs like Ken Martin, chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a vice chair of the national party; Ben Wikler, chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin; and Michael Blake, a former vice chair of the party.
The Power Brokers
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who criticized party leaders earlier in the week for neglecting working-class people, is expected to play an active role in the DNC pick. Sanders’ allies believe that the party is taking his concerns more seriously in the wake of Tuesday’s thrashing.
Presidential losses regularly compel parties to question everything from their message to their infrastructure to their core beliefs. This loss will be no different for Democrats. After Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016, the committee was criticized as an unprofessional organization. This led to a rebuild during Trump’s first term in office. However, this has posed a dilemma for the party now: The national committee has not drawn the kind of blame that it did after the first loss to Trump, but that also means the answers Democrats are searching for are far less clear.
Many committee members believe this is not a time for the party to focus on one specific skill set in a chair at the expense of others. Instead, this group argues, you need someone with a broad range of skills.
“It needs to be someone who can raise money. It needs to be someone who is a good communicator. And it needs to be someone who can look towards modernization,” said Maria Cardona, a longtime Democratic operative and DNC member who is against the chair being a current elected official.
“As opposed to Trump, we believe in the peaceful transfer of power,” Cardona said. “But we are not going to concede the fight.”
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