Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called upon fellow Democrats to prioritize results over rhetoric as the party opened its summer meeting in Minneapolis on Aug. 25.
“After six months as chair, I’ve learned that a lot of people, especially folks in DC, think they can change things by winning arguments,” Martin told the crowd of Democrats from across the country.
“You know what winning the argument gets you? Maybe a nice round of applause and a few likes on Instagram. But the reality is, it doesn’t make life any better for any person. We have to stop settling on winning arguments with each other. We have to win elections.”
Martin outlined earlier state-party investments, volunteer training, and a multi-cycle plan. He said the DNC has held “150 town halls,” is “establishing a true coordinated campaign across the ballot,” and is “adopting emerging and innovative tech and data tools.”
“I’m sick and tired of this Democratic Party bringing a pencil to a knife fight,” Martin said to a round of applause. “We cannot be the only party that plays by the rules anymore. We’ve gotta stand up and fight. We’re not gonna have a hand tied behind our backs anymore. Let’s grow a … spine and get in this fight, Democrats.”
Speakers who followed Martin echoed the fight-and-build message while cautioning against internal finger-pointing.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison described legal action paired with outreach.
“We have sued him 44 times, and we’ll sue him 44 more and 44 more after that,” he said, referring to President Donald Trump and his administration.
“Do not shame them,” he said of Democrats reaching out to Trump voters. “‘I told you so’ is no way to save a nation, friends—even though it’s true. But when we go out there, I don’t want you to wag a finger. I want you to build and join a friend. You can all, we all, we gotta be in the mode of welcoming our friends back to this party.”
Minnesota’s Senior Sen. Amy Klobuchar urged organizers to broaden the coalition.
“That’s why when you go home from these meetings and you leave our great state fair, I want you to remember that we got to organize,” she said. “And especially you’re in the red and the purple states, you know, we need to organize Democrats. But we also have to organize independents and moderate Republicans who, in the past, have stood up for democracy, depending on the election.”
Klobuchar further warned against infighting within the party.
“We’re not joining that ‘We suck’ Club,” Klobuchar said, referencing Democrats who are dissatisfied with their own party. “We’re not getting sucked into it when they try to divide us on every single issue online, because we have a more important job to do. Complaining about each other—to each other—it’s not how we win again.”
Among other committee strategies for pushing back against the Republican trifecta in Washington, Martin said, were “holding Republicans’ feet to the fire with the state-of-the-art war room,” suing them “when they come after voting rights and fair elections,” and “investing in a 10-year majority party vision.”
Martin tied the strategy to mapping fights and coming races. He said Democrats are “winning all across this country,” citing recent special elections, and said, “When we organize everywhere, we can win anywhere.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz—the party’s 2024 nominee for vice president—pressed for unity amid differences.
“We can have our internal decision making, our internal, healthy debates,” he said, while adding that Democrats don’t have “the luxury to fight amongst ourselves.”
Speakers all took a moment to remember Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, who was fatally shot along with her husband earlier this year in a targeted attack on their home.
Martin—who said he had known Hortman half his life—said she was the reason that millions of Minnesotans were better off today.
“She accomplished so much for the people of this state,” Martin said. “We are so indebted to her. We lost a giant, a friend, a fighter, a quiet revolutionary, who led with brilliance and humility, with grace and grit. The kind of leader who doesn’t come around very often and certainly one who can never, ever be replaced… Melissa Hortman didn’t just change one life. She changed her entire state.”
State Sen. John Hoffman, who survived the coordinated attack at his own home the same night Hortman was killed, said, “It isn’t about politics anymore. It must be about right and wrong.”
“The challenge we do face is that creeping erosion of the public trust,” he said. “That’s not just in an institution, but that’s in each other. And in this climate, we must recommit ourselves to governance over grievance, to service over self, and to action over anger. Terror in the night is not legislative reform.”
“We’re not joining that ‘We suck’ Club,” Klobuchar said, referencing Democrats who are dissatisfied with their own party.
Your party is done, move on.
“We cannot be the only party that plays by the rules anymore. We’ve gotta stand up and fight. We’re not gonna have a hand tied behind our backs anymore. Let’s grow a … spine and get in this fight, Democrats.””
HUH??? The treasonous, dishonest, self-serving, disgraceful Democrat Party LIES AND NEVER plays by the rules.
To this treasonous self-righteous, lying Democrat Party, their supporters and their media/political propaganda, our U.S. Constitution, Laws, Gender, Truth, Facts, Reality and History are all irrelevant. If the Democrats or their journalists do not WANT to believe them, or they disagree with them. Democrats and their rag journalists will just make up their own, laws, Race, Gender, Truth, Facts, Reality and History to fit what they WANT to believe or fits into the Con or Deception that they are running at the time.
YEa, i had to do a double take at that phrase as well…. SINCE WHEN HAVE DEMS played by the rules?!
So, I wonder, which direction will the unifying go? Will the Loons unify with the few sane Democrats remaining, or will the few sane members continue to unify with the Loons?
“Speakers who followed Martin echoed the fight-and-build message while cautioning against internal finger-pointing.”
As I suspected, they’re not going anywhere. Self evaluation is a sign of advanced thought beyond food and shelter.
I believe it was a Democrat who first coined the phrase “You’re f*****g with my head!” when someone asked them “Why?”.
Indeed, the Democrats realize strength in unity. Would that that unity was national unity, not primarily party unity above all, and their failing party might yet save itself from the extinction that falls historically on all those who embrace secular socialism, and pursue deceptive vendues of divide and conquer. Winning any election without first winning the arguments has and never will result in long term grasp upon power. Sooner or later THE PEOPLE wise up and throw the bums out. IF they seek to win elections based upon first winning the arguments, not winning in the great deceptions, they may once again become a real American asset, and a source of lasting CREATIVE American Power. Their political pathologies for seeking immediate gratifications at any cost, always become the source of their own undoing. They build houses of straw upon foundations of sand which look gleaming only so long as the storms never come. Problem for them, is that they always do, and why they fear a real sound builder like Trump. Weak Democrat Hitlers only initially win, having deceived themselves they are stronger and more righteous in their deceptions.,,because they organize first. Once the abused and deceived American Strong, the builders, finally get fed up and organize themselves, the weak socialists fall like leaves when the first autumn wind comes to town. Democrats rule only up to the time they finally get found out, and the scales fall from THE PEOPLE’s eyes like those same autumn leaves.