Democrats Elect Ken Martin as New DNC Chair

Ken Martin, the chair of Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, has been elected as the new chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) during a winter meeting held in National Harbor, Maryland. Martin's election comes after a challenging election cycle for the Democrats, who lost both the White House and the congressional majority to Donald Trump. He aims to unify the party and refocus its message on working-class voters while strengthening its infrastructure to better respond to Republican challenges. Martin secured 246.5 votes, defeating Wisconsin Democratic chair Ben Wikler, who garnered 134.5 votes. As the first white male leader of the DNC since 2011, Martin's leadership will be crucial as the party seeks to recover and prepare for upcoming elections amid a landscape dominated by Trump's policies. His acceptance speech emphasized the need for collective action against Trump and the wealthy elite who he believes undermine working families.