Schumer endorses Ben Wikler for Democratic National Committee chairman (original) (raw)

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) on Thursday endorsed Ben Wikler, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, to lead the national party,making Schumer the highest-ranking Democratic official to weigh in on the race so far.

“As one of the best state party chairs in the country, Ben possesses all the qualities Democrats across the country are looking for in our next DNC Chair,” Schumer said in a statement. “He’s a tenacious organizer — one of the best organizers in the country — a proven fundraiser, a sharp communicator, and able to reach out to all segments of the Democratic Party.”

“Most importantly,” Schumer added, “he knows how to win.”

Members of the Democratic National Committee are set to pick the next chair in a Feb. 1 election.Wikler’s opponents include Ken Martin, a DNC vice chair who leads the Minnesota party; Martin O’Malley, the former commissioner of the Social Security Administration and a former governor of Maryland; and James Skoufis, a New York state senator.

The leadership race comes as Democrats look to chart a path forward after their disappointing November election, when they lost the presidency and Senate majority. Schumer will be Senate minority leader when the new Congress begins Friday.

Wisconsin had more mixed results for Democrats in the Nov. 5 election. While their presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, lost the battleground state, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) survived her reelection bid against Republican businessman Eric Hovde.

The leadership race has featured little drama so far, but the final month could bring more focus on the stakes. The DNC is hosting four candidate forums that are set to begin Jan. 9. Candidates have to qualify for the contest by submitting signatures from at least 40 DNC members by Jan. 25.

Martin is seen as one of the leading candidates, given his deep experience inside the party organization. In addition to chairing the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he is president of the Association of State Democratic Committees.

Wikler has sought to show support for his campaign across the ideological spectrum. He has been endorsed by the centrist group Third Way and liberal organizations including the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

In the Senate, some Democrats were already backing DNC chair candidates from their home states before Schumer made his choice. Baldwin has endorsed Wikler, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) has backed Martin, and O’Malley has the support of Maryland’s two Democratic senators, Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, as well as Sen.-elect Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland).

Schumer has taken an interest in DNC chair elections before. After the 2016 election — when Trump won his first term in an upset — Schumer endorsed Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) to chair the DNC. Ellison lost the race to Labor Secretary Tom Perez and now serves as Minnesota attorney general.

Other candidates in the current DNC chair race include Robert Houton, a 2024 Senate candidate in Maryland; Jason Paul, a Democratic strategist from Massachusetts; Nate Snyder, a former official with the Department of Homeland Security; and Marianne Williamson, the self-help author and former presidential candidate.