Summary
Ken Martin, chair of Minnesota’s Democratic–Farmer–Labor party, won the race to lead the Democratic National Committee, defeating Wisconsin’s Ben Wikler.
Martin takes over as Democrats grapple with major losses in the 2024 elections and seek to reconnect with working-class voters.
Supporters see his leadership as key to rebuilding the party, while critics worry it signals a continuation of the status quo.
His first major test will be the 2026 midterms as Democrats attempt to reclaim the House and rebuild their electoral strategy.
As no one is talking about who Martin is let’s go over his accomplishments and how he could be positive for the party:
Since he became leader of the state party, 14 years ago, they have not lost a statewide race.
He talks about how they need to appeal to working class voters again.
He frames himself as a pro-labor progressive.
Pelosi and Schumer wanted his opponent.
He said this during his victory speech
He also talks about how we need a country wide approach not specific states. He wants people to be running everywhere.
He’s one of the better candidates that could have won. Not perfect, but definitely better than some of the other candidates.
Important edit: he also talked about how there were “good” billionaires and “bad” billionaires which is bs. But there is a reality that it’s gonna be hard to run a campaign and win without the support of any possible billionaire. I mean, one of the reasons the GOP won this time around was because the billionaires manipulated shit. We should still make it so that billionaires don’t exist because having a system that creates them is insane. But also, it’s hard to win in the current system without them.
What’s not BS is that getting rid of all the billionaires is not going to happen anytime soon. So we should focus pressure on the ones interfering in the political process and promoting fascism.
Thanks for this. I’m glad Pelosi and Schumer’s pick lost.
True, but there are bad billionaires and worse billionaires. Until we can get rid of billionaires, which is by no means a simple task, I prefer billionaires like Bill Gates and Mark Cuban who are at least using a portion of their wealth to do good things.
Is it enough? No. Is it largely performative to launder their reputation? Absolutely. Did they get that money through ethical behavior? Definitely not. But peoples’ lives are materially improved by some of their actions, which is better than you can say for most billionaires.
My thoughts as well. I think it’s kinda like a low road vs high road thing. Taking the high road kneecaps you and keeps you from really being able to fight and challenge the BS. I think refusing to take any money from Billionaires in a world where people like Musk and Murdoch manipulate everything, not taking any Billionaire money will not work. There is no way for small donors to give enough money to outstanding those billionaires or to out manipulate media.
Good enough for me
That was my thought as well
And what’s his history like?
Words are cheap, let’s see the action.
Well he’s not a representative or anything. He was chair of the DFL party which is the Democratic party in Minnesota. So he doesn’t have a voting record but he was elected 14 years ago and again, they haven’t lost a statewide race since. He’s a strategist.
He led the campaign in 2008 for the the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment which is designed to help public lands, help keep water clean from pollution, and fund the arts and heritage fund.
Wilker, his opponent, was also supported by two billionaires but Ken wasn’t.
Under his watch Minnesota defeated the amendment to ban same sex marriage and an ammendment for voters ID, they regained state senate and house majorities that they lost in 2010, he’s the guy who helped get Tim Walz to be governor. He helped flip multiple seats in Minnesota from Red to blue including one that was red for 40 years.
Again, he’s a strategist, which is what the DNC chair does, strategize.
Edit: original comment I responded to said “voting record” not history
Sure, Matin wasn’t supported by two billionaires, he was only supported by one. That’s only 50% as corrupt!
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/democrats-elect-ken-martin-party-leader-in-minnesota-as-their-national-chair/63640066
Don’t forget with the trifecta we got universal school lunches, the largest one year increase in school spending, legal abortion rights (both legislatively and from our supreme court), legal marijuana etc. it’s been pretty great as a Minnesotan. Also the recent election after this 2024 moved to a tied session which is pretty good considering how shit the rest of the results were
Good point. I forgot all about that stuff cause I’m not a Minnesotan.
Yes and never, respectively.
Yeah. His wing of the party doesn’t seriously believe that there is such a thing as a bad billionaire.