Ellison and Perez front-runners for DNC leadership
>> ATLANTA: Democrats are beginning the process of rebuilding their party by choosing a new national chairman charged with turning widespread opposition to President Donald Trump into more election victories.
With the outcome of yesterday’s vote uncertain, former Labour Secretary Tom Perez and Minnesota Rep Keith Ellison made a final push on Friday to cajole support from the hundreds of state party leaders, donors and activists who make up the Democratic National Committee and determine the party’s direction.
Perez supporters say he’s on the cusp of the required majority. Mr Ellison maintains that he is still a viable candidate. A handful of other candidates are holding out hope that neither Mr Ellison nor Mr Perez can command a majority, opening up the race for an upset in later rounds of voting.
Each of the front-runners promises an aggressive counter to the Trump administration, while rebuilding a depleted organisation at the state and local level — a tacit admission that party infrastructure withered during Barack Obama’s eight years in the White House, despite the president’s personal electoral success. The results have shown: Republicans now control the White House, Capitol Hill and nearly two-thirds of state legislatures and governorships.
“We are fighting for a party that is not the status quo,” Mr Ellison told his supporters on Friday, arguing that Democrats have become too timid and lost touch with too many voters across the country by abandoning working people. The key, he said, is to “knock on doors and engage people” while pushing policies that benefit them. “Let’s have a debate it,” he said. “You’re not scared. I’m not scared. Let’s do it.”
At a nearby reception, Mr Perez said the party must be the centre of Trump resistance. “The most important word in a democracy is that simple two-letter: ‘We,’” he said, promising he would help Democrats capitalise on the budding opposition movement. “It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we have strong parties everywhere that allow us to put those values into action,” he said.
Mr Perez got into the race at Mr Obama’s urging, but pushed back on the idea that he represents the “establishment”, which dogged Hillary Clinton’s campaign.