New York State Sen. James Skoufis became the latest candidate launching a bid to become the Democratic National Committee’s next chairman.
During an announcement that positioned himself as an anti-establishment force who could shake up a reeling party that saw crushing losses at the White House, Senate, and House earlier this month, Skoufis on Saturday made his intentions known for a position that many of his colleagues are already vying for.
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“I’m an outsider, but I know how to win. We’re losing on politics, messaging, organizing, and policy. And we’ve been running the same stale, inside-the-Beltway playbook driven by the same, tired, inside-the-Beltway voices. No more. We’re doing it differently. That changes the day I am elected,” the Empire State Democrat said in a statement to X.
Skoufis said he wanted to “throw away the DNC’s stale, Beltway-centered playbook” to bring his party back to power.
“Not just the party, but the country depends on it,” he said. “It’s on us to be the alternative who isn’t just anti-Trump but trusted again to be fighters who will deliver on behalf of all Americans.”
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Announcement: I’m running to be the next chair of the DNC @thedemocrats. I’m an outsider, but I know how to win. We’re losing on politics, messaging, organizing and policy. And we’ve been running the same stale, inside-the-Beltway playbook driven by the same, tired,… pic.twitter.com/UmdmxKLRlE
— James Skoufis (@JamesSkoufis) November 30, 2024
The 37-year-old lawmaker has served in the New York State Legislature for a dozen years. He was first elected as a representative for the state’s 99th district before assuming office in the state senate in 2019. His red-leaning district lies in Orange County in the Hudson Valley, a politically purple region.
“I win every two years in deep-red constituencies. This past election, Trump won my district by 12 percentage points, and I did over 20 points better than the top of the ticket,” Skoufis said during an interview with the New York Times. “I’ve won, in fact, in a Trump district three times now. And so we need to get back to winning.”
Skoufis said the Democratic Party had a “weird” problem, an image Vice President Kamala Harris tried to pin on the Trump campaign during the 2024 elections.
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“We have to fix that,” he added. “That is a fundamental issue that extends beyond the Harris campaign.”
The DNC chairman election won’t take place until Feb. 1, but Skoufis is just one of a flurry of Democrats who have already mounted a bid to replace outgoing DNC chair Jaime Harrison.
A fellow New Yorker, Michael Blake, this month launched a bid to become both the Empire State’s next mayor and the DNC chairman.
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Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and current DNC Vice Chairman Ken Martin have also formally declared bids.
The DNC will host four candidate forums in January for candidates to pitch themselves as the next leader of the party.