'Minnesota nice has two sides': Ken Martin Viewed as Ruthless Leader by Some Democrats
An article explores the journey of a reserved operative from the Midwest who successfully gained control of the Democratic Party's machinery.
TroibNews 
For two months while campaigning for the Democratic National Committee chair, Ken Martin diligently worked through a call list of the committee's 448 members, often dedicating up to two hours on calls and frequently staying on the phone until 10 p.m.
Martin, who has a history of operating behind the scenes as the leader of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the Association of State Democratic Parties, built a reputation as a tactician known for his mild demeanor and strong work ethic.
However, another aspect of Martin's persona — what one anonymous DNC member described as his skill in being a “knife-fighter” — seemed to resonate with Democrats and embraced by Martin himself on Saturday.
“Minnesota nice has two sides: Minnesota nice is a pleasant, earnest ability to engage with people publicly, and it is also a private ruthlessness and a coldness that only comes when you’ve lived in 10-degree-below weather half your life,” remarked John Bisognano, who previously worked with Martin at the ASDC and is now president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. “Ken will cut you if he has to, but that ruthlessness is what we need to achieve electoral success.”
When introducing himself to the press as chair on Saturday after defeating Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, who was supported by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Martin aimed to solidify this image.
“I’ve always viewed my role as a chair of the Democratic Party to take the low road, so my candidates and elected officials can take the high road, meaning, I’m going to throw a punch,” he stated.
In a clear indication of a shift from the leadership style of previous chair Jaime Harrison, Martin told reporters, “This is a new DNC” and “we’re taking the gloves off.”
This combative stance may be necessary for Martin, especially as he faces a leadership void and a lack of direction for the party. With Democrats feeling deflated and largely out of power in Washington after significant setbacks in November, Martin's role could become more pivotal. As the party looks to regain footing during Donald Trump's second term — without a Democratic president to guide the party’s message — Martin will influence the rules and structure of the 2028 presidential primary.
He also pledged to release a public report on the DNC's assessment of the 2024 election, a commitment the organization did not fulfill following its 2016 defeat.
Despite his victory in securing the DNC chair position, Martin faces skepticism.
“Yes, he's a knife-fighter, but the problem is, a lot of people in this room feel like that knife is in their backs,” said one dissenting DNC member. “He won the job, but he didn’t necessarily win everyone’s trust.”
Wikler, who significantly enhanced the Wisconsin Democratic Party's standing, was seen by some as a reformer capable of strengthening the DNC. His background as a former podcast host also garnered him a reputation as a potent communicator. A third DNC member, who backed Wikler, noted while Martin provides “institutional knowledge,” he represents “the same group of people who have always been here, who don’t want to leave the room, and who haven’t yet made it better.”
“We are so bound up by people whose only quest for relevance is the DNC title,” the member added.
Both supporters and critics agree that Martin has long been preparing for the chair position, with Ray Buckley, the New Hampshire Democratic Party chair, stating he has been “working on this for years,” evidenced by his participation in various party meetings and fundraising events.
“He knows the machine. He literally understands all of the levers, all the ways the resources move, all the relationships with people who make it move,” said Ron Harris, a DNC member from Minnesota, who further commented, “He knows where the bodies are buried.”
However, Martin's deep familiarity with party operations hasn't always endeared him to its leadership. In 2018, he clashed with top DNC officials over voter data control—an issue of significant contention. Then-Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez publicly accused Martin of undermining the party by excluding state party chairs from vital discussions.
An operative involved in those negotiations criticized Martin's tactics, stating, “He threw up every block imaginable to keep the party from basic modernizing in order to keep their lists, even though Republicans were already way ahead of us at the time.” The operative expressed a hope for Martin to apply the same loyalty to a broader constituency as chair.
Conversely, Buckley saw Martin's willingness to challenge the establishment as a strength. “There are establishment folks in the party that are still not over the fact that Ken pushed back,” he noted. “They’re not used to getting pushed back.”
Mike Schmuhl, chair of the Indiana Democratic Party, praised Martin's impact, stating, “He’s turned the ASDC into a force that now has a much bigger seat at the table when we sit down to advocate for our states in front of the DNC.”
Supporters attribute Martin’s intensity to his childhood experiences.
“We were in and out of shelters. We knew what poverty felt like. We saw what she sacrificed to make sure we could have a warm dinner most nights,” Martin reflected in his speech to DNC members. “Because my mom gave a damn about me and because my community gave a damn about my family, it meant we had a chance.”
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb commented that Martin “really had to learn how to rely on himself through struggle, and I think that that does come through in his personality of leadership.”
Martin's political journey began as a staffer in Minnesota in 1998, during a period when Democrats struggled significantly. By the time he took the helm of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in 2011, the party was recovering but still reeling from past struggles. He devised a long-term strategy to restore the party to centrality within the Democratic framework.
“He ran the DFL with an iron fist, was very impressive,” said an anonymous Democratic strategist. “He’s like Stalin, and I say that as a compliment.”
Now, as he leads a party faced with challenges, some Democrats remain doubtful about his ability to effect a successful transformation. The discontent from a frustrated donor class, many of whom were invested in Wikler's vision, poses an additional hurdle.
“The delegates wanted Ken, and that must be completely respected. It wasn't a close race," said one Democratic donor adviser. "However, the donors wanted Ben, and they will make the delegates and the new chair painfully aware of that fact over the course of the next four years.”
Holly Otterbein contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
Martin, who has a history of operating behind the scenes as the leader of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the Association of State Democratic Parties, built a reputation as a tactician known for his mild demeanor and strong work ethic.
However, another aspect of Martin's persona — what one anonymous DNC member described as his skill in being a “knife-fighter” — seemed to resonate with Democrats and embraced by Martin himself on Saturday.
“Minnesota nice has two sides: Minnesota nice is a pleasant, earnest ability to engage with people publicly, and it is also a private ruthlessness and a coldness that only comes when you’ve lived in 10-degree-below weather half your life,” remarked John Bisognano, who previously worked with Martin at the ASDC and is now president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. “Ken will cut you if he has to, but that ruthlessness is what we need to achieve electoral success.”
When introducing himself to the press as chair on Saturday after defeating Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, who was supported by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Martin aimed to solidify this image.
“I’ve always viewed my role as a chair of the Democratic Party to take the low road, so my candidates and elected officials can take the high road, meaning, I’m going to throw a punch,” he stated.
In a clear indication of a shift from the leadership style of previous chair Jaime Harrison, Martin told reporters, “This is a new DNC” and “we’re taking the gloves off.”
This combative stance may be necessary for Martin, especially as he faces a leadership void and a lack of direction for the party. With Democrats feeling deflated and largely out of power in Washington after significant setbacks in November, Martin's role could become more pivotal. As the party looks to regain footing during Donald Trump's second term — without a Democratic president to guide the party’s message — Martin will influence the rules and structure of the 2028 presidential primary.
He also pledged to release a public report on the DNC's assessment of the 2024 election, a commitment the organization did not fulfill following its 2016 defeat.
Despite his victory in securing the DNC chair position, Martin faces skepticism.
“Yes, he's a knife-fighter, but the problem is, a lot of people in this room feel like that knife is in their backs,” said one dissenting DNC member. “He won the job, but he didn’t necessarily win everyone’s trust.”
Wikler, who significantly enhanced the Wisconsin Democratic Party's standing, was seen by some as a reformer capable of strengthening the DNC. His background as a former podcast host also garnered him a reputation as a potent communicator. A third DNC member, who backed Wikler, noted while Martin provides “institutional knowledge,” he represents “the same group of people who have always been here, who don’t want to leave the room, and who haven’t yet made it better.”
“We are so bound up by people whose only quest for relevance is the DNC title,” the member added.
Both supporters and critics agree that Martin has long been preparing for the chair position, with Ray Buckley, the New Hampshire Democratic Party chair, stating he has been “working on this for years,” evidenced by his participation in various party meetings and fundraising events.
“He knows the machine. He literally understands all of the levers, all the ways the resources move, all the relationships with people who make it move,” said Ron Harris, a DNC member from Minnesota, who further commented, “He knows where the bodies are buried.”
However, Martin's deep familiarity with party operations hasn't always endeared him to its leadership. In 2018, he clashed with top DNC officials over voter data control—an issue of significant contention. Then-Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez publicly accused Martin of undermining the party by excluding state party chairs from vital discussions.
An operative involved in those negotiations criticized Martin's tactics, stating, “He threw up every block imaginable to keep the party from basic modernizing in order to keep their lists, even though Republicans were already way ahead of us at the time.” The operative expressed a hope for Martin to apply the same loyalty to a broader constituency as chair.
Conversely, Buckley saw Martin's willingness to challenge the establishment as a strength. “There are establishment folks in the party that are still not over the fact that Ken pushed back,” he noted. “They’re not used to getting pushed back.”
Mike Schmuhl, chair of the Indiana Democratic Party, praised Martin's impact, stating, “He’s turned the ASDC into a force that now has a much bigger seat at the table when we sit down to advocate for our states in front of the DNC.”
Supporters attribute Martin’s intensity to his childhood experiences.
“We were in and out of shelters. We knew what poverty felt like. We saw what she sacrificed to make sure we could have a warm dinner most nights,” Martin reflected in his speech to DNC members. “Because my mom gave a damn about me and because my community gave a damn about my family, it meant we had a chance.”
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb commented that Martin “really had to learn how to rely on himself through struggle, and I think that that does come through in his personality of leadership.”
Martin's political journey began as a staffer in Minnesota in 1998, during a period when Democrats struggled significantly. By the time he took the helm of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in 2011, the party was recovering but still reeling from past struggles. He devised a long-term strategy to restore the party to centrality within the Democratic framework.
“He ran the DFL with an iron fist, was very impressive,” said an anonymous Democratic strategist. “He’s like Stalin, and I say that as a compliment.”
Now, as he leads a party faced with challenges, some Democrats remain doubtful about his ability to effect a successful transformation. The discontent from a frustrated donor class, many of whom were invested in Wikler's vision, poses an additional hurdle.
“The delegates wanted Ken, and that must be completely respected. It wasn't a close race," said one Democratic donor adviser. "However, the donors wanted Ben, and they will make the delegates and the new chair painfully aware of that fact over the course of the next four years.”
Holly Otterbein contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
