Who Is Ken Martin, the New Leader of the D.N.C.?

Last updated: February 1, 2025 6:19 pm

3 Min Read

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Politics | Who Is Ken Martin, the New Leader of the D.N.C.?

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Democrats elected a Midwesterner and behind-the-scenes operator to take charge of a party still reeling from defeat.

Ken Martin, the chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, was elected on Saturday to lead the Democratic National Committee. Mr. Martin won in part thanks to his strong support among state party chairs. Credit… Jenn Ackerman for The New York Times Ken Martin, the Minnesota Democratic chairman, was elevated on Saturday to lead the Democratic National Committee, taking the helm of a rudderless party staring down an uncertain future.

Mr. Martin, a seasoned party operator who comes across as a low-key, mild-mannered Midwesterner, ran on pledges to broaden the party’s appeal — especially among working-class voters — and to ensure its ability to compete in races up and down the ballot, and across the country.

The vote at the D.N.C.’s winter meeting capped a monthslong race that focused on party mechanics and messaging, rather than on sharp ideological or establishment-versus-activist fights that have characterized other party leadership contests.

Mr. Martin handily defeated his closest rival, Ben Wikler, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, with help from his deep relationships across the committee, especially his strong support among state party chairs.

Now, Mr. Martin must unite and lead a party that is locked out of power in Washington, scrambling to mount pushback to President Trump and confronting a challenging Senate map in 2026.

Here are five things to know about the new D.N.C. chairman:

He leans into his modest Midwestern roots. Mr. Martin, 51, is the son of a single mother and the first child in his family, he has said, to earn a college degree, graduating from the University of Kansas.

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