Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Ben Wikler is running for chair of the Democratic National Committee. Wikler’s candidacy comes after the party’s previous chair, Jaime Harrison, chose not to seek reelection. Wikler is among other prominent Democratic leaders vying for the position including former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin and Sen. James Skoufis, D-N.Y.
The Chair election is set for Feb. 1, just two weeks after the inauguration of Donald Trump will occur. The majority vote of 448 party members, which includes 200 elected state and territorial members, affiliate group members and delegates at-large will determine the victor. The election will reflect Democrats’ response to Trump’s victory through the leader’s tone towards the Trump administration and plan to move the party forward.
Dismay with the party’s angle in the previous presidential election is represented in declining faith in the party. According to Pew Research Center, the percentage of Democratic or lean Democratic voters who are optimistic about the party’s direction dropped from 72% in 2022 to only 51% in 2024 while Republican optimism increased by 21% from 2022-2024. The next DNC chair must focus on positive Democratic policies rather than anti-Trump rhetoric in order to regain support for the party.
Wikler’s successes in Wisconsin and his vision for the party make him the clear choice to kickstart much-needed reform. He has served as chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin since 2019 and led the state to historic victories including former President Joe Biden’s win in 2020 and Gov. Tony Evers’ reelection in 2022.
This emphasizes Wikler’s ability to unite the Democratic voter base, independents and traditionally Republican voters to fulfill his motto — “Fight, Include, Respect and Empower.”
Under Wikler’s lead, voter registration in Wisconsin has greatly increased. In 2024 there were 3,658,236 registered voters in Wisconsin versus just 3,252,407 in 2018. While the number of voters peaks in presidential election years, Wisconsin registration in 2022 hit 3,534,794, which is 280,00 more than 2018.
This increase in engagement can be partially credited to political organizations under Wikler’s leadership, including WisDems, for their ability to mobilize voters during midterm election years.
When assessing Wikler’s record, one may question his qualifications due to the results of the 2024 presidential election in Wisconsin — however, this experience provides Wikler the knowledge necessary to influence the Democratic Party. His actions on a national level can thus be supported by lessons learned at the state level about spreading awareness and increasing voter turnout.
Despite the 2024 presidential election results, Harris won more votes in Wisconsin than Biden did in 2020. In the 2024 election, the Wisconsin Democratic party helped Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., win reelection, ended the GOP supermajority in the Wisconsin State Senate and flipped 10 State Assembly, all reasons to maintain faith in WisDems and Wikler’s leadership.
Working as a party leader in a swing state has also provided Wikler with an advantage over the other candidates who come from the liberal strongholds of Minn., Md. and N.Y. Wikler has leveled with rural voters, appealed to a broad spectrum of democrats and mobilized the party in razor thin elections — challenges some of his competitors have not faced.
The ability to gain support from rural voters was evident in Baldwin’s successful campaign. She was endorsed by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, the first time in over 20 years that a statewide Democrat has earned their endorsement.
This endorsement gave her increased credibility with Wisconsinites who work on both large and small farms across the state, and Wikler should strive to prioritize rural Americans and labor organizations in future campaigns.
Following the recent election and Trump’s victory, many within the Democratic Party have called on leaders to take a serious look at their approach, and Wikler can provide the critical yet hopeful outlook necessary to affect positive change. Within his campaign platform, Wikler notes that Democrats need a reckoning and not recriminations, which furthers his focus on improvement rather than assigning blame.
Wikler understands the economically and socially diverse voter base in Wisconsin as well as the concerns of young, urban voters in cities like Madison. His practical knowledge of successful Democratic messaging and groundwork in a battleground state is a unique asset he can leverage to lead the party to national success.
Wikler must also establish that the party is both open to public critique and willing to fight for its core values. Following the election, many voiced dissatisfaction with Democrats’ historical support of “identity politics,” which includes the affirmation of marginalized groups’ rights.
Current DNC Chair Harrison pushed back against this complaint by explaining that the party must assure minority voters that the Democratic Party supports them. This comes at a time when 50% of Americans believe the GOP represents “people like them” somewhat or very well while only 43% believe that to be the case in the Democratic Party.
Wikler understands the challenges of a fragmented, pessimistic voter base and must strive for positive change within the party to regain support from rural, minority, and young voters. He can increase mass appeal while staying true to liberal values, and his demonstrated ability “To unite. To fight. And to win” defines him as the most qualified candidate.
