Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair election, 2017

On the weekend of February 24, 2017, the more than 400 members of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) elected former Labor Secretary Tom Perez to succeed interim Chairwoman Donna Brazile.[1] Brazile took over the position after former chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) resigned during the 2016 elections. At that time, leaked emails appeared to show Wasserman Schultz and DNC officials strategizing to promote Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and hurt rival Bernie Sanders.

Other candidates for the position included Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minn.); Idaho Democratic Party executive director Sally Boynton Brown; mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg; and political strategist Jehmu Greene.[2][3][4][5][6]

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley was in the running but dropped out on February 18, 2017, to endorse Ellison.[7] On February 23, 2017, South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison dropped out of the race and endorsed Perez.[8]

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 1.1 Democratic National Committee
* 1.2 Position of chair
* 1.3 Process of electing the chair
* 1.4 Historical chairs
* 2 Candidates
* 3 Endorsements
* 3.1 Ray Buckley
* 3.2 Keith Ellison
* 3.3 Jaime Harrison
* 3.4 Tom Perez
* 3.5 Sally Boynton Brown
* 3.6 Pete Buttigieg
* 4 Election of Tom Perez
* 5 Post-election Perez contributions to former candidates
* 6 Footnotes

## Background[edit]

See also: Democratic National Committee

### Democratic National Committee[edit]

The DNC is the governing body of the Democratic Party and consists of around 440 voting members, most of whom are affiliated with state Democratic parties.[9] The Democratic Party's charter recognizes the following six responsibilities for the DNC:[10]

“  |

* Issuing the Call to the National Convention;
* Conducting the Party's Presidential campaign;
* Filling vacancies in the nominations for the office of President and Vice President;
* Formulating and disseminating statements of Party policy;
* Providing for the election or appointment of a Chairperson, five Vice Chairpersons, one of whom shall be the President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs and one of whom shall be the Vice Chairperson for Civic Engagement and Voter Participation, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a National Finance Chair and other appropriate officers of the National Committee, who with the exception of the Chairperson and the President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs, shall be as equally divided as practicable according to gender, and for the filling of vacancies, all in accordance with Rules of Procedure adopted by the Democratic National Committee; and
* All other actions necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the provisions of this Charter and the objectives of the Democratic Party.[11]

| ”

|
|

### Position of chair[edit]

The chair of the DNC is charged with carrying out the party's policies and overseeing the Democratic National Convention. One of the main functions of the party chair is to raise money for the party and to direct where that money is spent in local, state, and federal races. The 2017 chair race was notable because it was the first contested chair race since 2005. When Democrats have controlled the White House, a Democratic president typically recommends a chair and the party members approve that choice.[9]

### Process of electing the chair[edit]

According to the bylaws of the Democratic National Committee, the election of a chair must take place at a full committee meeting held when there is a vacancy in the chairmanship or held after a presidential election and before March 1 of the next year. The chair is elected with a majority of votes from the committee members.[10]

### Historical chairs[edit]

Below is a historical list of past and present chairs of the DNC. Click [show] to see the full list:[12]

Chair  | Term  | State

|
|

Benjamin F. Hallett | 1848–1852 | Massachusetts
Robert Milligan McLane | 1852–1856 | Maryland
David Allen Smalley | 1856–1860 | Vermont
August Belmont | 1860–1872 | New York
Augustus Schell | 1872–1876 | New York
Abram Stevens Hewitt | 1876–1877 | New York
William H. Barnum | 1877–1889 | Connecticut
Calvin Stewart Brice | 1889–1892 | Ohio
William F. Harrity | 1892–1896 | Pennsylvania
James K. Jones | 1896–1904 | Arkansas
Thomas Taggart | 1904–1908 | Indiana
Norman E. Mack | 1908–1912 | New York
William F. McCombs | 1912–1916 | New York
Vance C. McCormick | 1916–1919 | Pennsylvania
Homer S. Cummings | 1919–1920 | Connecticut
George White | 1920–1921 | Ohio
Cordell Hull | 1921–1924 | Tennessee
Clem L. Shaver | 1924–1928 | West Virginia
John J. Raskob | 1928–1932 | New York
James A. Farley | 1932–1940 | New York
Edward J. Flynn | 1940–1943 | New York
Frank C. Walker | 1943–1944 | Pennsylvania
Robert E. Hannegan | 1944–1947 | Missouri
J. Howard McGrath | 1947–1949 | Rhode Island
William M. Boyle | 1949–1951 | Missouri
Frank E. McKinney | 1951–1952 | Indiana
Stephen Mitchell | 1952–1955 | Illinois
Paul M. Butler | 1955–1960 | Indiana
Henry M. Jackson | 1960–1961 | Washington
John Moran Bailey | 1961–1968 | Connecticut
Lawrence F. O'Brien | 1968–1969 | Massachusetts
Fred R. Harris | 1969–1970 | Oklahoma
Lawrence F. O'Brien | 1970–1972 | Massachusetts
Jean Westwood | 1972 | Utah
Robert S. Strauss | 1972–1977 | Texas
Kenneth M. Curtis | 1977–1978 | Maine
John C. White | 1978–1981 | Texas
Charles T. Manatt | 1981–1985 | California
Paul G. Kirk | 1985–1989 | Massachusetts
Ron Brown | 1989–1993 | New York
David Wilhelm | 1993–1994 | Ohio
Debra DeLee | 1994–1995 | Massachusetts
Christopher J. Dodd | 1995–1997 | Connecticut
Donald Fowler | 1995–1997 | South Carolina
Roy Romer | 1997–1999 | Colorado
Steven Grossman | 1997–1999 | Massachusetts
Edward G. Rendell | 1999–2001 | Pennsylvania
Joseph Andrew | 1999–2001 | Indiana
Terry McAuliffe | 2001–2005 | Virginia
Howard Dean | 2005–2009 | Vermont
Tim Kaine | 2009–2011 | Virginia
Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 2011–2016 | Florida
Donna Brazile | 2016-2017 | Washington, D.C.
Tom Perez | 2017-present | New York

## Candidates[edit]

The following table details the major declared candidates in the 2017 race for DNC chair, along with their stated priorities.

Candidates for DNC chair, 2017

Candidate  | Position during DNC race  | Focus of DNC chair campaign  | Candidate statement
Keith Ellison | U.S. Rep. from Minnesota | • Emphasis on working families
• State and local candidate development
• Prioritization of voter relationships | "We must invest in and empower our state and local parties by creating effective field operations, an enhanced and advanced voter file, and a culture of collaboration between candidates at every level."[13]

Tom Perez* | Outgoing Secretary of Labor | • Emphasis on outreach to state parties
• Suggestion of year-round organizing in collaboration with state parties | "And we have to earn the trust of every stakeholder in the party. And I think we can do that because the reality, Audie, is that we are fighting much bigger forces. Donald Trump's vision of America, his nativist vision of America, his fear mongering - that's what we have to fight."[14]
Sally Boynton Brown | Executive director, Democratic Party of Idaho | • Emphasis on grassroots organization
• Vision of DNC as "service organization for all 57 state parties"[15] | "Our party can’t afford to spend the next two years having an ideological debate on whether we are liberals or moderates. The Democratic Party has always represented the people and now more than ever we must blow the walls off our tent so everyone feels welcome."[16]
Pete Buttigieg | Mayor of South Bend, Indiana | • Emphasis on small communities affected by DNC policies
• Presentation of candidacy as alternative to 2016 election rifts | "I can’t think of something more meaningful than organizing the opposition in the face of what I think will be a pretty monstrous presidency and challenging time out here in the states. ... Sitting back and waiting for the map and demographics to save us — that’s not going to be enough."[17]
Jehmu Greene | Political strategist | •Focus on experience in and out of the party structure
•Emphasizes strategy and organization rather than politics | "The DNC needs a Chair who is a SEASONED ORGANIZER and a FIERCE MESSENGER. An exceptional Chair who can share far and wide the transformative vision of our candidates and values, and who can counterpunch disinformation, regardless of where it comes from. ... I am a disrupter and political innovator with the heart of a grassroots organizer. Exactly what the party needs right now."[6]
*Perez won the election on February 25, 2017, on the second round of voting.
Campaigns for DNC chair suspended prior to 2017 meeting
Candidate  | Position during DNC race  | Focus of DNC chair campaign  | Candidate statement
Raymond Buckley** | Chair, Democratic Party of New Hampshire | • Focus on state infrastructure
• Clarification of party message | "The party's entirely too Washington-focused, and I want to flip that upside down. I understand that elections are won in the states and in the communities across the country, not within the Beltway. In fact, you know, I think that the Beltway folks actually do more hindrance than help when it comes to electing Democrats to office."[18]
Jaime R. Harrison*** | Chair, Democratic Party of South Carolina | • Emphasis on rebuilding local and state parties
• Focus on activist outreach and education | "I'm not a Clinton Democrat. I'm not an Obama Democrat. I'm not a Sanders Democrat. I'm just a Democrat, one who is raising his son in ruby-red South Carolina and wants to make sure that the opportunities that I've been able to enjoy and the opportunities that so many working people are able to enjoy are ones that persist. And I know that all of those things are in danger with Donald Trump as president."[19]
**Buckley dropped out of the race on February 18, 2017, and endorsed Ellison for the position.
***Harrison dropped out of the race on February 23, 2017, and endorsed Perez for the chairmanship.

## Endorsements[edit]

The following are endorsements by notable individuals or organizations for DNC chair candidates during the 2017 chair election. See one we missed? Email us at editor@ballotpedia.org

### Ray Buckley[edit]

The following individuals endorsed Buckley's run prior to the suspension of his campaign:[20]

* Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
* Sen. Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
* Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.)
* Rep. Annie Kuster (N.H.)

### Keith Ellison[edit]

In February 2017, the chair campaign page for Keith Ellison listed over 200 endorsements from Democratic politicians, party leaders, and outside organizations. Some of the notable endorsements included:[21]

* Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.)
* Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.)
* Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.)
* Former Sen. Harry Reid (Nev.)
* Mayor Bill de Blasio (New York City)
* AFL-CIO
* Democracy for America
* Our Revolution

### Jaime Harrison[edit]

The following individuals endorsed Harrison's run:[20]

* Rep. Jim Clyburn (S.C.)
* Rep. Marcia Fudge (Ohio)

### Tom Perez[edit]

The following individuals endorsed Perez's run:[20]

* Gov. Terry McAuliffe (Va.)
* Gov. John Hickenlooper (Colo.)
* Gov. John Bel Edwards (La.)
* Gov. Gina Raimondo (R.I.)
* Gilberto Hinojosa, Chair of Democratic Party of Texas
* Bruce Poole, Chair of Democratic Party of Maryland
* Thomas McGee, Chair of Democratic Party of Massachusetts
* International Association of Fire Fighters
* United Food and Commercial Workers Union International

### Sally Boynton Brown[edit]

The following individual endorsed Boynton Brown's run:[20]

* Bert Marley, Chair of Democratic Party of Idaho

### Pete Buttigieg[edit]

The following individuals endorsed Buttigieg's run:

* Steve Grossman, Former DNC chairman[22]
* Martin O'Malley, Former governor of Maryland[23]
* Howard Dean, Former DNC chairman[24]

## Election of Tom Perez[edit]

See also: Tom Perez

Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez was elected as DNC chair on February 25, 2017. South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg used his nominating speech to withdraw from the race. On the first ballot, Perez received 213.5 votes, one vote shy of receiving a majority of voting members. Rep. Keith Ellison received 200 votes on the first ballot. After the first round of voting, Sally Boynton Brown withdrew from the race and did not endorse a candidate while Jehmu Greene withdrew and endorsed Ellison. Former DNC Chair Howard Dean, who had previously endorsed Buttigieg, told other voters he would also back Ellison in the second round of voting. In the second round, Perez was elected with 235 votes; Ellison received 200 votes.[1][25]

## Post-election Perez contributions to former candidates[edit]

In March 2017, Perez's campaign committee transferred $22,270 to the campaign of former DNC chair candidate Jaime Harrison, who endorsed Perez two days before the first vote in February. Speaking with Politico, Harrison said the donation was not solicited and was not discussed prior to his endorsement of Perez. Harrison said that Perez's staff asked about helping pay the debt weeks after the election. Politico reported that Perez's campaign committee donated to help pay part of the campaign debts for former chair candidates Jehmu Greene and Sally Boynton Brown. According to a Perez aide, the payments went to candidates who asked for help paying off their campaign debts.[26]

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Washington Post, "Tom Perez elected as first Latino leader of Democratic Party," February 25, 2017
2. ↑ The Denver Post, "In Denver, Howard Dean drops out, others campaign to lead DNC," December 2, 2016
3. ↑ Christian Science Monitor, "Is Keith Ellison the future of the DNC?" December 3, 2016
4. ↑ Politico, "Idaho official to run for DNC chair," December 16, 2016
5. ↑ Politico, "Indiana mayor announces for DNC chair," January 5, 2017
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jehmu for DNC, "Bio," archived February 22, 2017
7. ↑ Politico, "Buckley shakes up DNC race with Ellison endorsement," February 18, 2017
8. ↑ The Washington Post, "DNC candidate Jaime Harrison quits race, backs Tom Perez," February 23, 2017
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Vox, "How the DNC chair election works," December 15, 2016
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Democratic National Committee, "Bylaws," accessed February 8, 2017
11. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
12. ↑ Rulers.org, "Government departments and offices, etc," accessed March 30, 2014
13. ↑ Keith for DNC, "Keith for DNC," archived January 30, 2017
14. ↑ NPR, "Labor Secretary Tom Perez Makes Case To Be Next DNC Chair," January 9, 2017
15. ↑ Facebook, "We the DNC," January 30, 2017
16. ↑ Together We Will USA, "DNC Chair Candidate Profile: Sally Boynton Brown," January 26, 2017
17. ↑ The New York Times, "Indiana Mayor Running for D.N.C. Chairman," January 5, 2017
18. ↑ NPR, "Ray Buckley Hopes To Lead Democrats As DNC Chairman," December 29, 2016
19. ↑ NPR, "If Chosen To Be DNC Chief, Jaime Harrison Pledges To Rebuild The Party," December 27, 2016
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 The Hill, "Democrats take sides in race for DNC chair," January 2, 2017
21. ↑ Keith for DNC, "Endorsements," archived February 8, 2017
22. ↑ WNDU, "Mayor Buttigieg gains endorsement in DNC race," February 2, 2017
23. ↑ Politico, "O'Malley backs Buttigieg in DNC chair race," February 8, 2017
24. ↑ Politico, "Howard Dean endorses South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg for DNC chair," February 22, 2017
25. ↑ The Hill, "DNC chair vote: live coverage," February 25, 2017
26. ↑ Politico, "DNC’s Perez covered debt of rival-turned-supporter after chairmanship race," July 12, 2017

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