Ken Martin's Commitment to the Democratic Committees Across the Ballot
Ken Martin is currently serving his seventh term as Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party. When Ken took over the DFL in 2011, he saw an organization lacking identity, stability, and accountability. But he made the DFL what it is today: an all-day, year-round party dedicated to organizing communities, empowering the grassroots, electing candidates, and improving lives.
As DFL Chair, Ken has worked hand-in-hand with groups representing every section of the ballot to help elect champions like Governor Tim Walz, Lt. Governor Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Mayors Melvin Carter and Jacob Frey, two Democratic state trifectas, and so many more leaders across our state. This partnership has been a cornerstone of his leadership and will remain central to his vision for the DNC. He knows that to succeed across the ballot, the Democratic Party and the Democratic Committees must work together.
A National Coordinated Campaign
One of Ken’s most effective early moves was creating a year-round coordinated campaign table at the state level, bringing party committees and key stakeholders together regularly to organize a modern political framework that would win across the ballot for years to come. With this model, the DFL has achieved remarkable success, including a record of 25-0 in statewide races, two Democratic trifectas, and the ability to leverage slim majorities to pass one of the most impressive legislative agendas in the nation. Ken wants to bring this proven model to the DNC.
Under Chairman Ron Brown and through the passage of BCRA in 2002, the DNC previously convened a coordinated campaign to significant effect. This helped Democrats reclaim the White House and win at every level, and it allowed key party stakeholders to help build winning strategies—not just cut checks.
The coordinated campaign will also convene and drive the Democratic Party’s ten-year strategic plan, based on Ken’s blueprint for reforming and refocusing the DNC to win. This approach will enhance—not replace—the efforts of our other national, state, and locally focused campaign committees and unleash the capacity of our party and partners. Thus, we can execute our work more effectively, with continuity, and ultimately more successfully.
Democratic committees at every level will have a seat at the table, including all democratic sister committees— Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO), Democratic Mayors Association (DMA), National Democratic County Officials (NDCO), Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS), Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Democratic Governors Association (DGA), Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC), Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association (DLGA), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and Democratic Treasurers Association (DTA) and others.
With shared skin in the game, this new coordinated campaign table would develop, vote on, and execute political plans around the calendar—not only during elections—and empower the table to hold elected officials accountable to their promises.
With Ken as DNC Chair…
Show up and contest every race.
The DNC must be more than a federal – i.e., presidential – campaign committee. We must embrace our responsibility to support Democrats running at every level. Winning major public policy battles starts with contesting and competing in races across the ballot – city council, mayoral, county boards, and school boards.
Under Ken’s leadership, the DNC will partner with and support groups like the Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO), Democratic Mayors Association (DMA), National Democratic County Officials (NDCO), and Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), which will directly support candidate recruitment training and campaigns.
Investing In Modern Communications & Lean On Local Leaders As Expert Communicators.
We can no longer rely on traditional, outdated, and low-reach information
environments which put money, time, and effort into the wrong places. Voters want to be respected and heard, not lectured and can spot inauthenticity from miles away. We must show up in non-traditional and uncomfortable media spaces regularly, increase outreach to local messengers and trusted validators, and elevate our local leaders and elected officials’ experience and expertise at every level to regain the trust of voters.
The 57 State Party Strategy — Be Active In Every State & Every Territory:
As Democrats, we need to expand – not shrink – our vision and infrastructure. That means funding parties in all 57 states and territories, expanding resources for the State Partnership Program (SPP) and increasing the Red State Fund to go on offense everywhere in America. In addition, we need to ensure that state party chairs and executive directors are full-time, paid positions.
Rebuild Local Infrastructure and Organize Every ZIP Code and Every Community.
Democrats everywhere want to work and organize in their communities. Let’s unleash them. We must ensure Democratic infrastructure in all 3,244 counties in our country—in every ZIP code and every community. We need to be organized everywhere so people can organize everywhere.
No More “Off-Years,” Organize with Democratic Committees — Year Round.
Before reasonably expecting to earn their votes, we must break the transactional organizing model and center our organizing around building trust and community relationships. We need year-round engagement and relationship-building centered on effective listening, shared values, and collaboration with community organizers already working on the ground.
Ten Years for the Future
The Democratic Party must plan, organize, and implement a 10-year
strategy that aligns the infrastructure, partnerships, and people we need to win. We need a new political model focusing on more than just the upcoming election cycle. We can build to win elections, grow our party, and build long-lasting and durable political infrastructure to help us win now and in the future. We must meet the moment, identify future and emerging targets, and see beyond one election.
Learn More about Ken's Plan
A New DNC Framework: Build to Win, Build to Expand, Build to Last
