Portland, OR, USA - Nov 5, 2021: Website homepage of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is seen on an iPhone. (Photo credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock)
The Democratic National Committee is trying to navigate numerous self-inflicted problems that could haunt Democrats as the 2026 primary season approaches.
Among the challenges the DNC faces is infighting, a slowdown of fundraising from major donors, and a declining war chest, according to a new report in The New York Times. The report cited more than two dozen Democratic lawmakers, donors, strategists, DNC members, and party officials, all of whom acknowledged the struggles the organization faces as it tries to rebuild the party.
“What they are seeing is headline after headline of incompetence and infighting, and I think that is a real problem not just for the D.N.C. but for the larger Democratic brand,” Ruffus Gifford, finance chairman for Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign, told The Times. “We need to come together and focus on the issues at hand. That’s got to happen now. And I mean today. And if that can’t happen, we need to shift course.”
Many of the issues the DNC faces arose after Ken Martin became the committee's new leader. Sources told the Times that Martin has not contacted some major donors and has worked to install allies in key positions within the organization. The public fight with gun safety activist David Hogg didn't help matters either, sources said.
The DNC's struggles have also created a significant financial hole that the organization must climb out of. Between January and April, the DNC's war chest shrank by $4 million. For comparison, the Republican National Committee raised $29 million during the same period. This makes it hard to see how the DNC can maintain Martin's goal of spending $1 million per month to support state parties.
“This is worse than some high school student council drama,” Rep. Mark Pocan, a Wisconsin Democrat, told The Times.
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