**Ken Martin Announces Bid for Democratic National Committee Chair**

Ken Martin, the head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, has officially entered the race for Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Announcing his candidacy via social media on Tuesday, Martin becomes the second candidate to seek the position, currently held by Jaime Harrison, who is not expected to pursue a second term following significant election losses for the Democrats this month.

Martin's announcement follows that of former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who declared his candidacy a day earlier. O'Malley, who also ran as a Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 and has served as Social Security administration commissioner in President Biden's administration, emphasized the need for Democrats to reconnect with everyday Americans on key issues like jobs and economic security.

Leading the Minnesota Democrats for 12 years, Martin also holds the roles of DNC vice chair and leader of the association of state Democratic Party chairs. Reflecting on his tenure in Minnesota, Martin stated, "When I took over @MinnesotaDFL, we were in debt and disarray. But we brought people together, built a winning coalition, and delivered results." He shared his readiness to apply these principles to the national party, highlighting his understanding of the internal workings of the DNC and the areas needing improvement.

In his video message, Martin stressed the importance of aligning the party's popular ideas with their candidates and addressing the disconnection he perceives between the DNC and voters. He reported starting his campaign with the support of over 80 DNC members, aiming to be elected by the approximately 450 voting members of the national committee.

As the Democrats look to recover from their losses in the 2024 elections, which saw them losing control of the White House and Senate and failing to reclaim the House of Representatives, more candidates are anticipated to join the race. One such potential contender is Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

Both Martin and O'Malley have laid out their visions for revitalizing the Democratic Party, focusing on strategies to unify and motivate voters across the country as the race for the DNC leadership intensifies.