Ken Martin, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, had a bulky start of his term.
Since he won the election in February, there were fights and DNC management in various opinions about how democrats should go forward after last year’s election losses. He also faced Criticism, which he did not treat this moment, as urgently, as many democrats he believes President of President Donald Trump. But Martin It also points to a series of choices that the Democrats have won in the last eight months. Former boss Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor party, which was previously largely unknown on the national stage, arranged its own Strategy of the future of the party.
We sat down with him for coffee – Celsius’ energy drink for him – during a stop in Philadelphia this week to talk about what he thinks, democrats must do in Pennsylvania, helpful strengthening, which he thinks the popular Governor Josh Shapiro will bring Other Pennsylvania Democrats in 2026, when he runs for re -election and whether Republican praise for Senator Jan Fetterman (D., Pa.) It annoys him. Martin was in the city for the National Association of Counties, and then at the National Young Democrats of America meeting, they both took place in Philadelphia.
This conversation has been slightly edited in terms of transparency and length.
What is the pitch for voters in Pennsylvania before court races in November and 2026 I saw a lot of focusing on a “big beautiful bill”.
I have just visited the officials of the counties who are on the first line of this relationship of state and federal dollars, and unfortunately, with all cuts at the beginning of the year, the initial cuts of Trump administration, in combination with tariffs, and in the meantime this bill is simply devastated local communities. As a result, these commissioners of the county are simply stunned, how to actually provide services. I say that because there is no doubt that this bill is not a gift for the American people, but it was a gift for the Democratic Party.
This allows us to talk with many voters, to be forthright, many of them who voted for Donald Trump because they believed that they would assist in their lives … We have six months in his administration, and most, if not everything, the things he carried out, actually hurt those people whom he said he would assist.
What is the strategy of providing this message in Pennsylvania?
In the history of DNC we have made the most historical investments in DNC of our party. We have just started our organizational campaign, in which we will campaign this summer throughout Pennsylvania, and not in a customary way of knocking on the door. We go to festivals, picnics, concerts, sports events, and bars. And then in these digital spaces we really do not go to political and political parties, but also in culture, sport and entertainment. Most people enter these pages, such as pages lifting the weight or knitting sites, thinking that they are running away from politics. But the Trump campaign did so well that they have people talking about Trump or beating hell from … a democratic party.
From year to year, the Republicans gained in democrats in the registration of voters in Pennsylvania. What if you do anything to try to reverse this trend?
I do not agree with anything that the conservative movement did in this country, but I admire the machine they built. All this is actually related to the philosophy of conservative movement here, i.e. throughout the campaign … and do it in a very detailed way, a district. They never stop. So democrats are completely different. When the campaign is over, we put away the swords of the campaign and we go to rule … We must get involved in a enduring campaign, and a vast part of registration of voters.
Latin voters have moved to the right to Trump at national level and in Pennsylvania. Do democrats do something to try to recover them?
Of all the groups that have remorse, the biggest buyer about Donald Trump, it was a Latin community and is driven by several things. Of course, very destructive, destructive and I would argue, the unconstitutional way in which Donald Trump followed his immigration policy is not supported by most Americans. I think Americans are starting to see that we need a more civilized approach.
But the mistake we make with the Latin community is the belief that number 1 is immigration. Problem No. 1 is, like the rest of us, they want protected communities. They want good remuneration work. We make a mistake, always leading with immigration as their number 1.
You have developed many initiatives for the State Democratic Party. Chairman of the State Party, Sen. Sharif Street, candidates for Congress. Are you sure he can do both of these things? Have you talked to him about it?
To be forthright, to be forthright, this chairman street, you know, choose one or the other, right? I think it is challenging to do both. If I’m really forthright, I think Sharif did a good job in a state party. I am his great supporter, for sure, as chairman, but I want to make sure that the event is as powerful as possible next year. He will have to decide what he thinks is best. This is not my decision, but I want to make sure that the party makes sure that it has all the attention it deserves.
In your party there was a criticism about the excessive representation of older politicians at the same time that the younger voters left the party. What is the answer?
A generational change is underway in our party, and our party must better create leadership paths for younger voices and newer voices.
Young voters are the largest block of voting in the country and can be kings and queen creators of any elections, if they seem and vote. But one of the reasons they do not vote is that they do not mean whether it is their party, government, whether this country listens to them, whether it reflects their values, whether it is a place for them.
It seems that the Democrats hope that the governor of Josh Shapiro, who has recently surveyed very well in this state, will assist them in congress races when he is ready for re -election in 2026. How do you see his role in a wider game field?
The reason why Josh is as popular as he says is to do S – and this is what he did for Pennsylvania. People at the end of the day some people choose parties. Many people don’t do it. They vote for a candidate. Many people in this country currently have low trust in institutions, regardless of whether they are parties or, to be forthright, government institutions. But they are looking for people who actually say what they are going to do, and then they finally do it. One of the reasons why people love Josh Shapiro like this is that he tells them what he intends to do and he goes out, and he fights for people in this state.
Senator Fetterman is someone who sometimes is not afraid to criticize his own party with the frustration of his members. Republicans took it at the same time. Is it only from these things – his criticism or republican accepts you, is about you?
That’s not. We are a great tent event. We have conservative democrats, we have demonstrators, we have progressors, we have up-to-date ones left. And, you know, sometimes it makes a messy debate and opposition. But I wouldn’t have it in any other way. I think it is the beauty of our Democratic Party, it is that we have many different voices.
Senator Fetterman, if he decides to escape again, and the main voters put him as our nominee, of course our party will be behind him. This is a critical seat of the Senate. We are still a few years venerable. He must make this decision.
