NY State Senator James Skoufis Announces Candidacy for DNC Chair

December 2, 2024 TruthUSA

Democratic New York state Senator James Skoufis, who has successfully represented Republican-leaning districts in the Hudson Valley for seven consecutive terms, believes he can guide his party back to its working-class foundations, embracing a “big tent” approach and achieving electoral success.

On November 30, he formally announced his candidacy for the upcoming chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) via a video on the social media platform X.

Jaime Harrison, the current chair of the DNC, is stepping down and will not pursue reelection following the party’s defeat in the presidential and Congressional elections this past November.

“The most valuable asset I bring to the DNC and to our party is my ability to win,” Skoufis shared during an interview with The Epoch Times on December 2.

“We need to create a wide and inclusive coalition so that the Democratic Party can regain dominance in American electoral politics. This involves not only performing well in blue regions and even purple areas, but also significantly improving our performance in red regions.”

At just 25 years old, Skoufis entered state politics over a decade ago by flipping a long-held Republican Assembly seat, becoming the youngest legislator in the lower chamber.

After securing his seat for three two-year terms, he turned his attention to a longstanding Republican state Senate seat in the fall of 2018, playing a role in the blue wave that shifted control of the upper chamber to Democrats for the first time in ten years.

As a senator, Skoufis has focused on the needs of working- and middle-class families, introducing initiatives such as expanding pre-kindergarten slots in public schools to lower childcare expenses and scrutinizing business tax incentive programs for possible savings to taxpayers, as he detailed in a prior interview with The Epoch Times.

“My parents worked tirelessly to achieve a place in the middle class,” Skoufis reflected, having spent his early years in a public housing project in New York City before moving to suburban Orange County with his family.

“I am always eager to explore how I can create similar opportunities for families and, importantly, once they are there, to ensure they remain in the middle class, which is becoming increasingly challenging for many.”

In November, Skoufis successfully defended his Senate seat for the fourth time, securing a notably larger margin of victory, partly due to gaining new votes from traditionally deep red precincts.

His district, which encompasses most of Orange County, supported President-elect Donald Trump by approximately 10 points, while Skoufis won it by 14 points against his Republican opponent.

In a post-election discussion on X, he explained that his winning strategy involved actively listening to and addressing the concerns of everyday citizens, reaching out across the political divide, and steering clear of identity and woke politics.

“Over the past 12 years in a strongly Trump-supportive district, I have engaged with all types of voters, and as DNC chair, I would continue that approach,” he told The Epoch Times.

“The next DNC chair must reach every corner of this nation, just as I have sought to connect with every part of my constituency, to restore bridges, regain trust, and start achieving victories again.”

Although relatively unknown beyond the realm of New York politics, Skoufis entered the race without established connections with party influencers outside the Empire State—an underdog status he acknowledges and intends to utilize to his benefit.

Shortly after announcing his candidacy, he contacted around a hundred DNC members and is planning visits to key states in the coming weeks.

“What I’ve observed is that DNC members recognize the need for fresh strategies and there’s a strong desire for an outsider campaign like mine,” he said in the interview.

As of the latest reports, four other candidates have entered the race for DNC chair. They include DNC Vice Chair and Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party leader Ken Martin, Social Security Administration Commissioner and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former U.S. Senate candidate Robert Houton, and Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler.

Skoufis acknowledged that his campaign for DNC chair has evolved into nearly a full-time endeavor, yet he remains committed to pursuing his district’s priorities during the state budget discussions set to begin in January.

“I plan to work tirelessly, likely logging around 100 hours a week for some time,” he stated to The Epoch Times.

On February 1, 448 DNC members will convene at the National Harbor in Maryland for their annual winter meeting to vote for the next chair, as per the DNC.

If Skoufis is elected, he intends to oversee the entire state budget process, which traditionally concludes in April, before stepping down from the state Senate to lead the party full-time.

The DNC plans to conduct four candidate forums in January, and candidates will likely need signatures from at least 40 DNC members to qualify, as seen in previous election cycles. The DNC will disclose further details regarding forum eligibility in the upcoming weeks.

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