By The Democrats will not change. Despite being defeated in 2024. Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison delivered a passionate defense of identity politics during his farewell address in Arizona on Thursday, pushing back against suggestions that the Democratic Party should shift away from race-focused strategies.
Drawing on his own experiences as a Black man, Harrison, whose term ends on February 1, urged his party to double down, explained The Hill.
“When I wake up in the morning, when I look in the mirror, when I step out the door, I can’t rub this off. This is who I am,” he said, motioning around his face, The Associated Press reported. “This is how the world perceives me.”
“That is my identity. And it is not politics. It is my life. And the people that I need in the party, that I need to stand up for me, have to recognize that,” Harrison added. “You cannot run away from that.”
Democrats have questioned their messaging and are seeking answers following widespread election losses last month — especially as the GOP prepares to take full control of government in January.
Harrison, in an interview with The Hill’s “The Switch Up” earlier this year, stressed the vitality of Black voters in the 2024 election. The key voting bloc largely supported President Biden in 2020, but President-elect Trump was able to make inroads with Black men in particular this cycle.
His speech also touched on unresolved tensions within the party. Harrison hinted at forthcoming revelations in a planned book, suggesting he will offer frank critiques of the party’s internal dynamics, according to The Daily Caller. “The muzzle comes off,” he said, making it clear he intends to share his unfiltered perspective. He also declined to endorse his successor, adding, “That’s it for you all, because I’m saving the rest for my book. And I am naming names.”
Harrison assumed the role of DNC chair in January 2021, supported by President Joe Biden. Before that, he served as the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party and ran a high-profile, losing Senate campaign in 2020. Despite record-breaking fundraising, he lost to Republican incumbent Lindsey Graham.
His farewell address comes on the heels of Kamala Harris’ defeat by President-elect Donald Trump in the November 5 election, a loss that has reignited debates about the Democratic Party’s reliance on racial politics. Harrison has come under fire in recent weeks because the party has found itself in significant debt following the disastrous switch to the vice president.
Harrison also received criticism for appearing to spend much of his time making a documentary about himself. Some Democratic insiders have been rolling their eyes at Harrison being trailed by a documentary crew since the Democratic convention in August.
A DNC official has said that the party did not fund the project.
The race for the next Democratic National Committee chair is underway as candidates pitch their visions to rebuild the party after significant losses in November. Among the contenders are former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, Minnesota state party chair Ken Martin, Wisconsin state party chair Ben Wikler, New York state Sen. James Skoufis, and former Maryland Senate candidate Robert Houton.
O’Malley has emerged as an early frontrunner, securing over 100 endorsements from the 448 committee members, putting him close to the 225 votes needed for a majority. However, the contest remains competitive, with Wikler garnering key endorsements from influential groups like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and the center-left think tank Third Way.
The field may still expand as Democrats prepare to choose their next leader early next year.
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