Former Deputy Campaign Manager for President Joe Biden, Rufus Gifford, has stated that Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Ken Martin's position is beyond repair, citing significant fundraising issues and internal discord. Gifford, who also served as DNC finance director under former President Barack Obama, expressed concerns in a Substack article that the committee is "spiraling towards irrelevance" due to its perceived inability to effectively raise money and communicate its message.
According to Gifford, predecessors like Jim Messina and Jen O’Malley Dillon frequently called him for assistance with special projects, which were successful due to established relationships and trust. He suggested that such requests for funding, which are expected to be numerous in the upcoming fall election season, would likely not receive a positive response from the DNC under current leadership. "That is a failure and we have been seeing this coming for a year now," Gifford wrote.
While acknowledging Martin as a "good man with good intentions," Gifford stated that he never heard from the DNC chairman during the 2024 Biden campaign. He concluded that Martin is "simply not meeting this critical moment," and that leaks from within the DNC staff suggest a loss of faith. Gifford urged Democrats to confront the issues directly and work towards unity among voices within the party.
These criticisms follow reports of the DNC's financial standing. Federal Election Commission records indicated that the committee ended June with $16.3 million in cash and $18.5 million in debt. In contrast, the Republican National Committee reported $128.5 million in cash and no debt.
Reports have also detailed internal tensions within the DNC. The New York Times recently reported that Martin faced a human resources complaint after allegedly throwing his phone at a junior aide's desk earlier in the month.
A DNC official, in a comment to Fox News Digital, pointed to a recent Substack article by Martin asserting that the DNC has historically raised more money than any other DNC without a sitting White House occupant. Martin's article stated, "If the question is whether the Democratic Party will be ready to win — everywhere, at every level, in this election and for the decade ahead — the answer is a resounding yes."