Author and two-time presidential candidate Marianne Williamson is seeking a new position: Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Williamson made the announcement on Thursday in a post on X with a link to an open letter explaining her decision.
The former candidate notes that “the party faces a more critical problem than we have ever faced before” and “The MAGA phenomenon now challenges the very way that politics are done in America.”
“The traditional tool kit of party organizing will not be enough to meet the moment,” Williamson added.
President Trump has ushered in an age of political theatre – a collective adrenaline rush that has enabled him to not only move masses of people into his camp but also masses of people away from ours. It does not serve us to underestimate the historic nature of what he has achieved.
In fact, it’s important that we recognize the psychological and emotional dimensions of Trump’s appeal. We need to understand it to create the energy to counter it. MAGA is a distinctly 21st century political movement and it will not be defeated by a 20th century tool kit. Data analysis, fundraising, field organizing, and beefed-up technology – while all are important - will not be enough to prepare the way for Democratic victory in 2024 and beyond.
Williamson promises to “reinvent the party from the inside out” if elected and turn the party into one “that listens more,” “advocates unequivocally for the working people of the United States,” and has “the humility to recognize we need to look in the mirror, and be willing to reinvent ourselves.”
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The author further promised to “have a 365 days-of-the-year strategy” to “create ways for the American people to be involved in the political process not only when there’s an election, but all the time.”
The DNC is expected to elect the party’s new chair and other officers during its winter meeting on Feb. 1. Several others have thrown their hats in the ring as well, including Ken Martin, chair of Minnesota’s Democratic Farmer Labor Party, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, New York State Sen. James Skoufis, and anti-gunner activist David Hogg.
The party will certainly need to reinvent itself after it received a brutal shellacking on Election Day, losing not only the White House but also the Senate. There have been plenty of signs, however, that the party has not yet learned its lesson. Many progressives have resorted to blaming racism, sexism, and other ridiculous scapegoats for their loss, which suggests they will continue making the same mistakes.
Still, it is worth noting that at least some Democrats have seen the errors in their approach to this election. Some seem to have realized that perhaps calling people fascist if they don’t want to vote for them wasn’t exactly a winning strategy. Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts came under fire from folks in his own party for speaking out against allowing trans-identified males to compete in women’s sports. This was an issue that caused great damage to Democrats in this past election cycle.
It will be interesting to see which faction wins out in February. If the party chooses the folks seeking to blame external forces for their losses, Republicans might have great reason to celebrate. However, if the party chooses leaders who understand that Democrats ran a campaign that more resembled Rep. Eric Swalwell passing gas on live television than a well-oiled machine, they might just have a chance at rebounding in the midterm elections.
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