DNC Chair Ken Martin Digs In as Calls for His Resignation Grow

Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, is in survival mode as pressure builds on him to step aside, according to state party leaders and committee members.

Martin is avoiding media appearances, monitoring his critics' social media posts and refusing — at least so far — to make substantive changes at the organization, according to a half dozen state leaders and other committee members, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal conversations. They portrayed Martin as defensive and deeply distrustful of others, including some members of his own team, as Democratic operatives complain about his leadership decisions, weak fundraising and a tendency to lash out in anger.

There is no sign the committee's membership plans to replace Martin before the midterm elections in November, even as some members question how long he can hold on. The turmoil risks undercutting the party's momentum in its effort to retake control of Congress from President Donald Trump's Republican Party.

"I sense no movement from the DNC to make a change, and so that decision's up to Ken. And he's told me he's in it, so I trust him on making that decision," said Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib, a DNC member and Martin supporter. He said critics "live on Twitter" and are "fighting harder against Ken Martin than they've ever fought against Donald Trump."

Martin declined an interview request. In a recent Substack post he wrote: "If the question is whether the Democratic Party will be ready to win — everywhere, at every level, in this election and for the decade ahead — the answer is a resounding yes."

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, praised the DNC's new primary calendar but declined three times to say whether he has confidence in Martin. "My confidence is in the people," Moore told The Associated Press.

Shannon Watts, the former leader of Moms Demand Action and a 2024 DNC finance committee member, said Martin never called her and should step aside. She said a DNC staffer asked her to delete a post critical of him.

Rufus Gifford, finance chairman of President Joe Biden's reelection campaign, wrote that the DNC was "spiraling toward irrelevance" and that there is "no saving Martin's chairmanship."

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said this week that Martin "has my full support," noting Democrats have won the overwhelming majority of elections since Martin took over.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has fielded calls about a possible candidacy to replace him, a person with knowledge of the conversations said. Members see the DNC's winter meeting, after November's elections, as the likeliest moment for a change.