The Democratic National Committee is about to elect its next Chairperson and depending upon who gets the most votes will determine how much further to the left the Party will go. Both top two contenders lean further to the left than most of the DNC, which is hard to believe.
A battle this weekend for control of the Democratic National Committee is poised to pull the party further to the left – the question is how far.
After a bruising series of elections during which Democrats lost the House, the Senate and finally the White House, the DNC on Saturday will choose its new chairman. The vote could mark a turning point as the party seeks to rebuild and potentially rebrand. But based on the leading candidates for the post, some see the party moving further from the mainstream.
The two top contenders, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez, have both garnered high-profile endorsements. Ellison has picked up support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. John Lewis, while former Attorney General Eric Holder and former Vice President Biden have backed Perez, who served in the Obama administration. Former President Obama also has sung the praises of Perez, without formally endorsing him.
Both candidates highlight their progressive records, careers spent advocating for civil rights and grassroots work. In the 2016 presidential primaries, Perez supported Hillary Clinton, while Ellison endorsed Sanders. The election of either contender, and especially Ellison, would signal a strong shift to the left.
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