(NewsNation) — A total of 450 delegates will make their voices heard at the Democratic National Committee’s winter meeting, where votes will be counted for all leadership positions, including vice chair, secretary and treasurer.
It’s the race for the overall leadership of the party that’s grabbing the most headlines. The two front-runners for the chair’s race are now Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democrats.
There’s not much daylight between the two in terms of values and goals after Democrats lost the White House and Senate, and remain in the minority in the House. They both believe there needs to be a year-round campaign that reaches voters across all platforms and media. They want to prove to working Americans that the Democratic Party has their best interests in mind. And they agree that dark money in politics is bad for democracy.
Both are also running on the strength of their relationships and their track records. However, Wikler’s record of success in a purple state, including flipping 14 legislative seats from red to blue, is proving most convincing to his supporters, whereas Martin is leaning on his long-standing relationships as a current vice chair.
Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers union, has publicly endorsed Wikler and tells NewsNation that he “really had a record in Wisconsin of connecting with working people, of organizing, of changing the face of the Democratic Party, to connect with the aspirations that working folks needed to be addressed.”
Weingarten said it was that relationship to the working class that inspired six other major unions, including American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union to also choose Wikler. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Wikler Friday.
John Verdejo, a delegate from North Carolina, is supporting Martin, particularly after Martin visited the state and provided support for Democrats there.
Verdejo believes that Martin understands the thinking of the rank and file DNC members in terms of the budget, infrastructure, and transparency they’re looking for.
“In my strong opinion, [Martin] has already built some of those relationships that, once elected. are going to help him and a party move forward,” he said.
On Friday, Martin received the endorsement of the U.S. Territories Alliance, representing 20 DNC members from all five U.S. territories — Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
While outwardly the two have remained cordial, a source who has spoken with several delegates confirmed that Martin has increased the pressure on delegates, going so far as to threaten their positions in the party if they don’t support him.
To win the race for chair, a candidate must receive 226 votes. If no one achieves that on the first ballot, the lowest vote getter will be dropped and another round of voting will ensue. That’ll continue until there’s a winner.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, also running for chair, is counting on that. According to a source familiar with O’Malley’s campaign for chair, he has worked hard to have a strategy not just for the first ballot round, but also any rounds beyond that.
O’Malley is hoping that after the first round, where people have committed their votes, Martin and Wikler’s support may shift. O’Malley hopes that resentments between the two factions will lead delegates to choose him instead.
The source believes O’Malley is a prototype of a second choice option. He’s a strong fundraiser who has run a national organization. He was chair of the Democratic Governors Association from 2011 to 2013, and has a 100-day plan to start turning the DNC around.
The Democratic drama will unfold throughout the day Saturday at the DNC’s winter meeting.
