As DFL Party Chair Ken Martin continues to make his case to Democrat activists across the country that he’s the right fit among the four candidates vying to lead the Democratic National Committee, he won’t be getting an endorsement from one of his most notable Minnesota colleagues.
Earlier this month, Gov. Tim Walz sat down for one of his first one-on-one interviews with a Minnesota media outlet in four months and told MPR News that he will not publicly back Martin in his bid for DNC chair. That came almost a month after Martin announced he is running for the position.
Martin is considered by some as an early frontrunner for the post. He’s competing with neighboring Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler for that spot. Also in the running are former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and New York State Sen. James Skoufis.
And while a number of prominent Minnesota Democrats backed Martin almost immediately, including Attorney General Keith Ellison and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the two-term governor of Minnesota had been mostly silent until the MPR interview.
So great to join @VoteBetty in supporting our fellow Minnesotan & good friend @kenmartin73 for DNC Chair earlier this week! pic.twitter.com/3I3PchZOCW
— Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) December 14, 2024
During the wide-ranging interview that was held in the basement of the Minnesota Capitol, Walz was asked point blank if Martin is the person “who should be leading the DNC” in its effort to learn what Democrats could have done differently during the 2024 election cycle.
“Well Ken, he’s done a great job here, I’ve made no bones about that,” Walz answered, before making it clear he won’t make an endorsement for DNC chair. “We’ve won statewide elections; we continue to do so. I’m staying out of that one and will let the DNC decide.”
Martin told media last week that Democrats are “getting our butts kicked right now.” He also mentioned his own success story of inheriting a DFL Party in Minnesota that was in debt after the 2010 election cycle, and helping it become a fundraising force for statewide candidates who have not lost an election in seven election cycles.
Walz, too, expressed his dismay at national Democrats’ 2024 election loss and urged the party to figure out how to “reach those groups that we lost.”
“I do think as a party, and I will go back to this: How in the world did we lose to a billionaire and a venture capitalist when we are making the case of a county attorney and a high school teacher? And we were focusing on the cost of groceries, cost of healthcare? Those types of issues that should have really resonated,” he told MPR News.
Walz’s decision to not back a horse in the race for DNC chair comes after Martin pulled out all the stops in late July and early August to help push Walz over the edge to get the vice presidential nod from Kamala Harris.
“No matter what happens with the Veepstakes, I am glad people across this nation are tuning into the great things happening in Minnesota thanks to my friend and Governor, Tim Walz,” Martin wrote on social media the evening before Harris announced Walz would serve as her running mate. “There is arguably no state in the nation that has done more to improve people’s lives, strengthen communities, and lead with compassion and decency than Minnesota. On behalf of all of us, thank you Governor, and good luck – this nation would be blessed to have you.”
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
