Dems' civil war over party chair hangs over 2028 plans

Democrats fighting over their strategy and leadership for 2028 are locked in on savaging — or saving — the one man with a title and power: DNC chair Ken Martin. Why it matters: Martin is facing a growing crisis of confidence over the Democratic National Committee's bungled autopsy of the 2024 election and its financial struggles . This is the biggest, earliest test of the party's top brass heading into '28. So far, Martin has staved off a revolt among DNC members at a time when they're setting the calendar for the 2028 presidential primary — a key factor in determining the party's next nominee. In fact, as some members of Congress and Democratic strategists are calling for Martin to resign, key DNC members are rallying to his defense. Zoom in: The DNC's powerful rules and bylaws committee met at a D.C. hotel this week to hear the pitches of a dozen states that want to go early in the upcoming primary. The delicacy of Martin's position was apparent: He skipped the committee's public meeting, though he did quietly visit the hotel for some private conversations. Since Martin released — and disavowed — an incomplete autopsy of the 2024 election this month, some Democratic operatives have argued that he lacks the credibility to manage key parts of the upcoming Democratic presidential contest. The DNC sets the primary calendar and debate process, and builds up the party's infrastructure for the eventual nominee to inherit. "If people can't trust the DNC, what is going to happen is they're going to think the process is rigged against their candidate," said influential "Pod Save America" co-host Dan Pfeiffer on a podcast. "The way that Ken Martin has handled this, he has made it very hard for people to trust the DNC." DNC members gathering this week struck a very different tone: They told Axios they're sticking with Martin. "There is huge support, huge support, at this committee and the party as a whole for Ken Martin," said Stua...

Original source: Axios