New York State Sen. James Skoufis announced his long-shot run for chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Saturday.
Skoufis, who paints himself as an outsider and part of a new generation, said he wants to point to his successful record in his district supporting President-elect Donald Trump.
Arguing for a new script, Skoufis said“The voters have spoken, and we must listen, not lecture. We must be strong fighters again.”
“I may be an outsider, but I know how to win,” he continued. “I’m going to throw out the DNC’s outdated Beltway-centric playbook, rebuild it, stop ceding ground to Republicans, and start winning again — everywhere. Not only the party, but the country depends on it. Together we can win this fight.”
In this Oct. 28, 2021, file photo, New York Sen. James Skoufis attends an event in New York.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Media Assets, Inc., FILE
Skoufis, who has served in the New York legislature since 2013, is joined in the field by Martin O’Malley, ex. Maryland The governor, who has served as commissioner of the Social Security Administration since December 2023, and Ken Martin, vice chairman of the DNC, who also leads the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Jaime Harrison, the current president, is not seeking a second term.
Selection of new DNC chair will be done at the party’s winter meeting in National Harbor, Maryland on February 1, 2025. Harrison announced earlier this week that there will be four forums for candidates to present their cases to DNC members, who will also elect a vice chair, treasurer, secretary. and the national chairman of finance after the party lost the presidency and was unable to secure a majority in either the Senate or the House in the 2024 elections.
“As my time as President draws to a close and we prepare to do the critical work of holding the Trump Administration and the Republican Party accountable for their extremism and false promises, we begin to outline the process for the upcoming DNC officer elections in the New Year,” Harrison said. in a statement. “The DNC is committed to transparent, fair and impartial elections for the next generation of leadership to move the party forward.”
Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, speaks at a rally in support of Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris in Reno, Nevada, on October 31, 2024.
Fred Greaves/Reuters
The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet on December 12th to determine the Rules of Procedure for the contest, including what is required to get the vote. In 2021, candidates needed the signatures of 40 DNC members, which is expected for the 2025 race.
The 448 members of the DNC who voted at the winter meeting include 200 members from 57 states, territories and foreign Democratic states; Members representing 16 affiliated groups; and 73 key members selected by the DNC, ABC News notify in advance.
