WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The Democratic National Committee on Saturday elected Ken Martin, the longtime leader of Minnesota’s Democratic Party, as its new chair, as Democrats work to rebuild after their sweeping losses in the 2024 elections.
Martin takes over a party still reeling from former President Trump’s victory in November, which not only cost Democrats the White House but left them without control of either chamber of Congress. Since then, Democrats have struggled to push back against Trump’s flurry of executive orders that have rolled back key policies from President Joe Biden’s administration.
Just a few days after his election, Martin sharply criticized Trump’s recent decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, arguing that the move would hurt American consumers.
“Trump isn’t going to make corporate billionaires pay for these tariffs—working families and small businesses will,” Martin said in a statement. “He’s using American workers as pawns in his petty political games.”
Martin vowed to rebuild the Democratic Party’s infrastructure and expand its reach to compete in races nationwide. He defeated Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler on the first ballot to win the leadership post.
“Today’s elections mark a new chapter in DNC leadership,” Martin said. “Donald Trump and his billionaire allies are put on notice: we will hold them accountable for ripping off working families, and we will beat them at the ballot box.”
Martin is a veteran Democratic strategist who has led Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party since 2011. He is expected to focus on voter outreach, fundraising, and strengthening party operations at the national level ahead of the 2026 midterms.
