Afternoon all. Excited to share a new interview we completed yesterday with the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ken Martin. You can find the video and transcript of our talk above.
Ken is an old and dear friend and I’m excited he could come by and spend some time with our community. While I think it is important that everyone hear from Ken directly a couple of notes from our talk….
1 - Of all the things the new DNC is doing I think the most important is its unprecedented commitment to fund and revitalize state and local parties; to compete and win in more red states and red areas; and to transform the Democratic Party into something that operates 24/7/365 not just in the months right before an election. Ken’s experience of having been a successful State Chair in Minnesota for 14 years and President of the Dem State Chair Association for 8 years helped inform the DNC’s bold and ambitious plan. He calls his plan “Organize Everywhere, Win Anywhere” and I for one am for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 - We got to discuss the need for the Democratic Party to return to and invest in partisan voter registration once again. One of the big takeaways from 2024 is that we got beat in voter registration across the country and Republicans were successful at making many battleground areas of the country redder. As you will hear from Ken the DNC and the state parties are clearly committed to challenging the GOP’s new voter registration advantage - really important stuff.
3 - Ken talked about the strong grassroots fundraising and Dem overperformance we’ve been seeing in all elections throughout the country this year. He says he feels the energy and enthusiasm out there. This new data from CNN backs up his sense that Dems now have a meaningful enthusiasm advantage:
4 - I loved Ken’s acknowledgement of the frustration many have about where we are, and his challenge for those who want to do more and fight harder to do so by getting involved in the DNC or their state and/or local party. We are doers here at Hopium and Ken makes an open call for people to come help him build a better Democratic Party. I hope many of you will answer that call!
There is a lot in this terrific discussion with one of our party’s most important leaders. Get to it when you can and please share it with others you think might be interested.
Here are links to some of the DNC’s most important ongoing initiatives:
Check out the DNC’s big plan to invest in state parties, win in more red areas and to “Organize Everywhere, Win Anywhere”
Learn more about the DNC’s Organizing Summer initiative, their ambitious and successful “People’s Town Halls,” the new, sharp-elbowed War Room and the comprehensive TrumpTax site that documents how Trump is making our lives more expensive in all 50 states.
Be sure to subscribe to 1) the DNC’s YouTube channel to receive their new daily political show that comes out at 10am ET each morning 2) their new Substack for grassroots Democrats called The Blue Print.
For even more on the DNC’s efforts to revitalize state and local parties across the country watch my recent interviews with ASDC President Jane Kleeb and North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton - two hard-working and kick-ass Democratic leaders!
Finally, we both send our thanks to the more than 1,500 of you who contributed over $118,000 to the DNC in our campaign to help Ken get off to a great start. If you choose to give to the DNC in the coming weeks be sure to use this dedicated Hopium link.
Enjoy this spirited discussion with our Chair, Ken Martin and keep working hard everyone! - Simon
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