First DNC Chair Candidate is Ex-Governor of Maryland
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced his candidacy to succeed Jaime Harrison as the new chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Nov. 18. O’Malley, who also served as mayor of Baltimore and briefly ran in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, revealed his intention to resign as head of the Social Security Administration to vie for the DNC chair position.
In a post on X, O’Malley emphasized the importance of connecting the party with American families at their kitchen tables, focusing on jobs, opportunity, economic security, and a 50-state strategy.
The New York Times broke the news of O’Malley’s entrance into the race, making him the first candidate to officially declare. Other potential contenders include Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin, Democratic Party leader Ben Wikler, ex-White House infrastructure czar Mitch Landrieu, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel.
The new DNC chair, who will be elected by March 1, 2025, must navigate the party’s direction heading into the 2026 midterm elections and beyond following Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss in the 2024 presidential race.
O’Malley has called for a focus on unity and problem-solving within the party, citing the successful 50-state strategy implemented by former DNC Chair Howard Dean. With 440 voting members set to elect the new leaders, the DNC is preparing for a period of reflection and reorganization under new leadership.
For more on this developing story, stay tuned to The Epoch Times.
