Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin is confronting a crisis of confidence among party officials just over a year into his tenure, even as Democrats have dominated races for governor, state legislative seats, and other offices under his leadership. The discontent, detailed in interviews by The Associated Press, comes less than six months before the 2026 midterm elections and has already prompted informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, though most party insiders believe Martin’s job is not in immediate jeopardy.
Major donors are not giving, liberal influencers are publicly questioning Martin’s refusal to release a post‑2024 election autopsy, and some strategists have approached Amanda Litman, the head of the Democratic‑allied group Run For Something, about replacing him. Litman told the AP: “I think it’s a really hard job, and also Ken is not doing it very well. … I honestly think he’s going to have a hard time rebuilding trust.” She added, “The challenge … is that there’s not really an alternative.”
The criticism has gotten to Martin, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. They said he has become increasingly paranoid, even inside DNC headquarters, where he did not install his own team after taking over last year.
The committee’s finances illustrate the strain. Federal filings show the DNC ended March with $22.1 million in the bank and $18.4 million in debt, while the Republican National Committee reported $116.8 million cash on hand and no debt. Martin’s allies say the cash gap reflects an intentional strategy.
DNC national finance co‑chair Chris Lowe said Martin decided to invest heavily in state parties rather than amass reserves. “We made a conscious decision to spend money,” Lowe told the AP. “His view, and I would agree with this view, is the best way to position ourselves for the presidential (election) in ’28 is not just to amass a bunch of money, it’s to have a history of winning elections all across the country up and down the ballot. And that’s what we’ve done.”
Under the 50‑state plan, the DNC distributes $1 million each month to party organizations in every state and key U.S. territories, plus an additional $5,000 per month to party committees in nearly two dozen Republican‑controlled states. The investments are overwhelmingly popular with local leaders.
“Republicans can brag about having more money but they’re not spending it, and they’re not winning,” said DNC member Michael Kapp of California. “At the end of the day the scoreboard matters more than the spreadsheet.”
Martin himself declined to comment, the AP reported. He has been focusing on improving the DNC’s financial health and scouting sites for the 2028 convention, with recent fundraising stops in Denver.
At the center of the furor is Martin’s refusal to release the internal study of the 2024 election, known as the after‑action report. Martin had pledged on the campaign trail to make the report public on his first day as chair. Kapp, a Martin ally, said “it’s certainly something that should be made public” but accepted Martin’s argument that releasing it so close to the midterms could be a distraction. “I trust Ken. I’ve known the man for 10 years. But at this point, when we’re six, seven months away from the midterms, we need to be focused on the midterms,” Kapp said.
Martin has been aggressively courting big‑dollar donors, and in some conversations he acknowledged pressure related to the autopsy and indicated changes could be coming soon, according to two people with direct knowledge of the discussions but not authorized to share them.
Former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison expressed frustration with those publicly criticizing Martin, particularly after the hosts of the podcast “Pod Save America” pressed Martin on the autopsy. “Am I happy with everything that goes on in the party? No. Am I happy with leadership that sometimes you get? No. But do you see me going out at this juncture trying to make that case? This is not the moment for that,” Harrison said. “We have to be as strong as we possibly can going into November, because we have to win. Once we win, we can fight like hell.” Harrison said he did not believe Martin’s job was at risk.
Soon‑to‑be presidential candidate Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear offered cautious support, saying, “Ken and I work well together. And I say that being somebody who wasn’t originally on board. … We need a healthy DNC. We need it to work.”