NEW YORK (AP) — Democrats keep winning at the ballot box. And yet Ken Martin, the man leading the Democratic National Committee, is facing a crisis of confidence among party officials who are increasingly concerned about the health of their political machine barely a year into his term.Major donors aren’t giving. Liberal influencers are publicly questioning Martin’s refusal to release an internal report on the party’s failures. And Democratic operatives have begun informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even as most believe that Martin’s job isn’t in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.Amanda Litman, who leads the Democratic-allied organization Run For Something, said she’s been approached by senior strategists in recent days gauging her interest in replacing Martin. She declined but said many in the party have lost faith in the DNC leader.
“I think it’s a really hard job, and also Ken is not doing it very well,” Litman told The Associated Press. “I honestly think he’s going to have a hard time rebuilding trust.”Part of the challenge for those Democrats frustrated with Martin, she said, “is that there’s not really an alternative.”The criticism has gotten to Martin, said two people who insisted on anonymity to describe private conversations. They said he’s become increasingly paranoid, even inside party headquarters in Washington, where he did not install his own team after taking over last year.
