Just 100 days into his leadership, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin revealed a shocking vulnerability in a private May 15 Zoom meeting, confiding in party leaders that he’s unsure about his ability to lead due to relentless infighting spearheaded by Vice Chair David Hogg.
A recording obtained by POLITICO captures an emotional Martin, appearing to choke up twice, admitting, “I don’t know if I wanna do this anymore.”
The extraordinary admission comes as Martin grapples with the fallout from Hogg’s controversial vow to spend $20 million in safe-blue primaries, targeting incumbent Democrats he deems ineffective.
READ: Hogg Champions Texas Rep. Crockett’s “Authenticity” As Model For Democrats
Martin described being “deeply frustrated” by the internal conflict, stating it has “essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to.”
He lamented, “No one knows who the hell I am, right? I’m trying to get my sea legs underneath of me and actually develop any amount of credibility so I can go out there and raise the money and do the job I need to to put ourselves in a position to win.”
The nearly two-minute clip, while not the full conversation, paints a stark picture of the challenges facing the DNC as it seeks to regroup after devastating electoral losses.
READ: ABC News Suspends Terry Moran Following “Unhinged” Post Aimed At Stephen Miller
Martin, who won a contested election for the chair in February, took the job to lead the party through its post-2024 crisis, advocating for a “massive narrative and branding project.” However, his efforts have been overshadowed by the ongoing dispute with Hogg.
Despite the raw honesty of the recording, Martin quickly issued a statement through a spokesperson after POLITICO’s inquiry, asserting, “I’m not going anywhere.”
He added, “I took this job to fight Republicans, not Democrats…our fight is and has to be solely focused on Donald Trump and the disastrous Republican agenda.”
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