Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin is staring down a revolt from within his own party after releasing a botched 2024 election autopsy that has sparked calls for his resignation and widespread doubts about his ability to lead the organization forward.
The anger exploded after the DNC released what it described as its full, unredacted post-election review on Thursday, following months during which Martin resisted making it public. The report itself became the flashpoint: it contains errors, self-correcting annotations, and notably lacks any concluding analysis of what actually went wrong in 2024.
Martin acknowledged the problems in a Substack post accompanying the release, writing that he is "not proud of this product" and that it does not meet his standards. He also confessed that his attempt to avoid creating a distraction by withholding the report backfired, ultimately generating far more turmoil than transparency would have produced from the start.
The timing intensified the firestorm. One Democratic lawmaker told Axios that the internal reaction was a "roar" precisely because the report landed during a week when Democrats were winning politically. "Now we aren't because of him," the lawmaker said.
Open calls for change
Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts delivered perhaps the bluntest verdict: "He should resign," the congressman told Axios, citing Martin's "lack of leadership" and describing it as "utterly nuts it took us this long to release the autopsy."
Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin echoed that sentiment during a radio interview Thursday, telling a caller who suggested Martin needed to be replaced: "I agree. Having what we have right now is not doing it."
Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas framed the issue as one of strategy and urgency. "There doesn't seem to be a plan to turn things around and the clock is ticking," Veasey told Semafor. "I believe it's time for him to move on."
Rep. Christian Menefee of Texas pointed to the chaotic rollout itself as evidence of deeper problems. "I just think the whole thing is odd, saying we're going to this thing and we'll release it, and then you don't release it and then you do release it, it doesn't give much confidence," Menefee said.
Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York went further, suggesting the DNC's dysfunction threatens the entire party. He said he is "concerned that the DNC appears to be in a state of almost terminal decline." When asked if Martin should step down, Torres stopped short of a direct call but warned that "the status quo at the DNC should be cause for alarm for every Democrat in the country."
Several House Democrats told Axios they expect more public calls for Martin's resignation from their colleagues in the coming days.
The autopsy release also revived doubts about Martin's initial selection as DNC chair. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois told Axios he "does not regret" backing former Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler for the position instead. That race occurred last year, but Thursday's handling of the report has made some question whether the party made the right choice.
The defense holds, for now
Martin is not entirely without allies. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Axios she believes he should stay on as DNC chair. Rep. Jonathan Jackson of Illinois, who briefly considered a run for the DNC chair position himself, offered qualified support, saying Martin "has a lot of leadership" and that "it's time for the party to get closer to him."
Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who backed Wikler in 2025, had mixed reactions. He criticized the report for failing to mention the Israel-Palestine conflict but praised Martin for his efforts on eliminating super PACs.
Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota acknowledged her own role in helping install Martin as chair, saying she "worked really hard" to make that happen. While recognizing the DNC has faced challenges, she said she is "sure he'll find his footing."
Notably absent from Thursday's discussion were substantive reactions from the party's top congressional leaders. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he had received advance notice of the report but hadn't read it yet, promising "more to say" once he did. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reportedly quipped that he'd "been kind of busy," offering no real comment.
Martin's immediate future ultimately rests with DNC members rather than Capitol Hill. So far, they have shown no signs of moving to remove him en masse, giving him some breathing room despite the intensity of the current backlash. Still, the combination of harsh public criticism and the report's obvious shortcomings has substantially damaged his standing among Democrats in Congress.
Author James Rodriguez: "This autopsy was supposed to provide answers, not create a leadership crisis. Martin's inability to handle the rollout proves his critics' point about why he might not be the right person to fix what's broken."
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