Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s backing is a boost for Ben Wikler, who has yet to reveal his level of support among the Democratic National Committee members who will actually elect the next chair. ALLISON ROBBERT/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) endorsed Ben Wikler’s bid to lead the Democratic National Committee on Thursday morning.
In a series of social media posts announcing the endorsement, Schumer cited Wikler’s achievements as chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin since 2019.
Wikler “possesses all the qualities Democrats across the country are looking for in our next DNC Chair,” Schumer wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “He’s a tenacious organizer, a proven fundraiser, a sharp communicator, & able to reach out to all segments of the Democratic Party. Most importantly, he knows how to win.”
In a separate post on X, Schumer promoted Wikler’s ActBlue fundraising page.
Since Wikler took over the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Democrats reelected Gov. Tony Evers; organized a liberal takeover of the state Supreme Court that led to the overturning of gerrymandered legislative maps; and delivered Vice President Kamala Harris her best ― albeit still losing ― performance in any of the seven battleground states.
Current DNC Chair Jaime Harrison is not seeking another term. The DNC’s 447 voting members are set to elect a new chair at a Feb. 1 meeting in National Harbor, Maryland.
Wikler is competing against Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party; former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley; and New York state Sen. James Skoufis.
Martin, who has chaired his light-blue state’s Democratic Party since 2011, has said he has pledges of support from 100 DNC members. He touts Minnesota Democrats’ undefeated record in statewide races during his seven-term tenure.
Wikler, a rival for the front-runner spot, has not revealed his level of support within the DNC membership. But Schumer’s support, along with that of outside groups like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Third Way, is likely to give Wikler a boost as he seeks to persuade DNC insiders of his viability.
Republican and Democratic Party chairmanship elections following a presidential-election defeat have often become the sites of ideological or strategic proxy battles about the future direction of the party.
Thus far, though, the DNC chair’s race has not been dominated by sweeping debates about policy or ideology, instead centering on which candidate’s personal qualifications best equip them to lead the party out of the wilderness.
All four candidates agree that Democrats have lost voters’ confidence in the party’s ability to improve their financial lot, which has led to the hemorrhaging of working-class support, and that the party must find better ways to communicate in an evolving media environment.
Skoufis and O’Malley have adopted a more anti-establishment tone, arguing that someone outside the DNC firmament is needed to reform party operations and branding.
