On the heels of getting locked out of power in Washington, Democrats will take a first step toward deciding the future of their party on Saturday when members of the Democratic National Committee elect a new chair.
Yet many top Democrats, including most members of Congress, have refrained from publicly weighing in on a contest that could set the party’s course as it navigates the Trump era and shapes its messaging in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
The three leading contenders for the post include a pair of Midwesterners – Ken Martin, the longtime chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and Ben Wikler, who leads the state party in neighboring Wisconsin – and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. Other hopefuls include Faiz Shakir, who led Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, and Marianne Williamson, who has made two unsuccessful White House runs.
