With only a week left until Election Day, DNC Chair Ken Martin hit the road to barnstorm across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia to turbocharge get-out-to-vote organizing efforts ahead of Democrats’ key races. Starting in Pennsylvania, Chair Martin traveled from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, meeting with local labor leaders and phonebanking with voters to rally support behind Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht ahead of their high-stakes retention races. After that, Chair Martin stumped for gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and energized voters at canvasses across the state. Over the weekend, Chair Martin campaigned for gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and downballot candidates in Virginia. 

Here are some highlights from the Chair’s GOTV blitz below: 

On the Airwaves: 

MSNBC: “We’re going to do everything we can over these next remaining hours left, both in New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, California and around the country, to make sure Democrats win up and down the ballot. In New Jersey, specifically, and I heard you mention the early vote just a moment ago, we actually have a significantly higher firewall that was built into this early vote. Democrats have over-performed in the early vote, actually higher than we had in the last governor’s race with Phil Murphy in 2021. The Republicans have to dig out of a much deeper hole this morning and throughout the day to actually make up that margin of difference here. We’re confident that Mikie, because of that strong campaign that she’s run, is going to prevail tonight. … I was on the ground with her in the campaign over the last week, and I can tell you, there’s a lot of energy and excitement for her campaign. Her message is resonating with New Jerseyans, and Jack Ciattarelli has just not really connected with New Jerseyans.”

MSNBC: “The through line for all three of them is they’re focused on affordability. They’re focused on making people’s lives easier to live, whether it’s in New York City, or whether it’s in Richmond, Virginia, or whether it’s in Trenton, New Jersey. All three of those candidates are focused on economic issues, making sure people understand that it’s the Democratic Party that best represents their opportunity to climb the economic ladder, to actually achieve the American dream, to actually get ahead, not just get by.”

CNN: “One of the reasons I was successful in Minnesota is we never took anything for granted. We didn’t rest on our laurels, and we worked all the way through the finish line. And I’m confident. I believe we’re going to win in New Jersey. We’re going to win in Virginia. We’re going to retain those critical three Supreme Court races in Pennsylvania. And of course, I believe we’re going to win with Prop 50. One Thing people aren’t talking about is that there’s 100,000 local elections on the ballot, big mayoralships, county board races, school board races, and many other races on the ballot tomorrow as well, which the DNC and our national party is helping in. And so it’s a big day for us, of course, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure we win up and down the ballot throughout the country.”

WRIC: “There’s a lot of folks who are being squeezed in Virginia right now with the shutdown and the cuts earlier this year that have impacted federal employees. Virginia is home to close to half a million federal employees, as you know. Also, just the economic anxiety that most Virginians are facing as a result of these disastrous economic policies of the Trump administration. It’s really putting a squeeze on American families and certainly on Virginians. That’s why Abigail [Spanberger] is winning, because her message of actually lowering costs and making people’s lives more affordable, focusing in on protecting their freedoms, is actually resonating with Virginians. I expect she’ll win big tomorrow, and I think she’ll have huge coattails to not only help those other candidates on the ballot, but help us add to our house majority.”

WGAL: “Earlier this week in Lancaster, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin campaigned for those justices. ‘Well, look, it’s a critical election here coming up next Tuesday, these three Supreme Court races, right? It’s not just about Pennsylvania, of course. What we’ve seen around the country is billionaire donors trying to buy Supreme Court seats in places like Wisconsin, other states around the nation, and this is a serious attempt to thwart the will of the people — to do an end-around state legislatures and governors.” 

WTAE: “Today, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin visited Pittsburgh to urge you to vote ‘Yes’… He says a billionaire Pennsylvanian is behind all those ‘No’ ads. … ‘When I was coming up, it was unheard of for either party to actually politicize judicial races. That was supposed to be independent, free from politics. Unfortunately, in recent years, we’ve seen the far-right throughout the country actually politicize these races, spending millions and millions of dollars in judicial contests to get the outcome that they want. We’re here to fight back, to make sure that they’re not able to buy a Supreme Court, as they have in other parts of the country.”

WTAE: “The head of the Democratic National Committee has a message for Pennsylvania voters. He wants them to vote ‘Yes’ on retaining three state Supreme Court justices who are running for another 10 year term. DNC chair Ken Martin made calls from the Allegheny County Democratic Committee headquarters today urging a ‘Yes’ vote.”

WTAE: “The chair of the Democratic National Committee made a stop here in Pittsburgh to urge voters to vote ‘Yes’ on retaining the three judges. … ‘They decided to throw out all the norms and guardrails of our democracy.We cannot be the only party right now fighting with one hand behind our back, still abiding by those rules which Trump and the Republicans clearly do not care about. And so what we’ve decided to do, and you can see this with Prop 50 on the ballot in California, is we’re going to fight fire with fire.’”

KDKA: “I’m here in Pennsylvania to kick off our GOTV tour on the ground in this final sprint to Election Day … The Supreme Court has and will continue to issue consequential rulings on everything from abortion rights to voting rights to redistricting and gerrymandering to collective bargaining and labor rights to environmental protections to energy policy in this state. You can go down the list of things that will find themselves in front of the Supreme Court. And I think it’s critical to make sure that billionaires actually don’t buy these Supreme Court seats.”

Pittsburgh Cable News Channel: “Locally, also today, we’ll see Ken Martin, head of the DNC, in the city, meeting with rural leaders and also working at a phonebank we’re being told. He was out in Lancaster, in the western part of the state, I believe, yesterday, and he’s going to be going to New Jersey and Virginia this weekend to involve those governor’s races. This is getting a lot of attention nationally, and it is getting a lot of attention locally.”

90.5 WESA: “The leader of the national Party is campaigning across the state. DNC chair Ken Martin is asking democratic volunteers to keep up their work through Election Day. He’s stressing the national stakes if the Republican Party successfully kicks the three justices from their posts. ‘If they’re successful here, right, they’re going to take this same playbook to other parts of the country.’”

WHYY: “Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin is in town today, meeting with labor leaders and leading get-out-the-vote efforts. Martin told WHYY News that Republicans are trying to gain control of the courts to legislate for their own agenda. ‘We saw this earlier this year with Elon Musk and other billionaires trying to buy that Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, and now we see that same dynamic here in Pennsylvania. Jeff Yass, the richest person in Pennsylvania, is spending millions of dollars of his own money trying to buy the Supreme Court. And of course, why is it important? Because Pennsylvanians’ rights are on the line.’”

WURD: “Over the last 10 years, these justices have done an amazing job of standing up for the rule of law and protecting Pennsylvanians’ rights under their constitution. I think the real question here is, why would you get rid of them? You have billionaires right now trying to buy Supreme Court seats. Jeff Yass, the richest billionaire in Pennsylvania, is spending millions and millions of dollars of his own money trying to get rid of these three Supreme Court justices. And I can tell you why they’re trying to do that, because this is part of the playbook all over the country by Republicans to try to actually do an end-around the public by buying Supreme Court seats. That way they can push public policy through the courts.”

In Print:

Associated Press: Democrats, allied groups pour millions into Pennsylvania Supreme Court race to counter GOP campaign

[Marc Levy, 10/30/25]

“Donohue and the other justices up for retention, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht, were spending their final days of the campaign attending Democratic Party rallies and get-out-the-vote efforts. Ken Martin, the Democratic National Committee chairman, traveled across Pennsylvania to headline events on Wednesday and Thursday.

“At a Lancaster County Democratic Party meeting Wednesday evening, Martin told a couple hundred people that Republicans were trying to steal power by buying court seats so they can enact right-wing policy through the courts.

“‘This isn’t just about Pennsylvania,’ Martin told the crowd. ‘Because if they win here, you can bet your bottom dollar they bring this in every single state around the country. … This is about our democracy.’”

Axios Pittsburgh: DNC chair: Pennsylvania court races could reshape abortion, voting rights

[Ryan Deto, 10/29/25]

“The Democratic Party’s chief campaigner is back in Pennsylvania for one last push before Election Day.

“Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin told Axios on Wednesday the Keystone State’s Supreme Court retention elections are among the most important for Democrats in the country this year.

“Martin warned if the three Supreme Court justices that were elected as Democrats are not retained, it would provide an opening for Republicans to flip the power balance on court and threaten Pennsylvania’s abortion rights and anti-gerrymandering rulings, as conservatives have in other states.

“‘It is critical that Pennsylvanians know what is at stake,’ said Martin, who is phone banking with volunteers in Pittsburgh on Wednesday and rallying in Philadelphia on Thursday.”

WGAL: Pennsylvania voters to decide on state Supreme Court justices’ retention

[Michael Fuller, 10/29/25]

“In Lancaster County, Democrats gathered at the Home and Farm Center, where the highlight of the evening was a speech from Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin.

“Martin emphasized the importance of democracy and urged attendees to participate in the upcoming election. ‘This is about democracy,’ Martin said, as the crowd responded with applause. …

“‘Everyone understands their assignment, they’re rolling up their sleeves, their talking to voters,’ Martin said.”

Lancaster Online: DNC Chair Ken Martin campaigns for Pa. Supreme Court justices in Lancaster

[Jaxon White, 10/30/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin visited Lancaster on Wednesday night, giving a pep talk to local party members ahead of Election Day. 

“Martin said the Republican Party’s statewide effort to oust three state Supreme Court justices, each elected as a Democrat in 2015, is ‘to grab power’ and influence public policy. 

“‘They know they’re on the wrong side of the issue,’ Martin said. ‘They know they’re on the wrong side of the population gains and demographic shifts in this country. So the only thing they can do is steal power.’”

Semafor: A confident DNC chair defends his party’s prospects

[David Weigel, 10/31/25]

“It was Ken Martin’s ‘fourth or fifth’ trip to Pennsylvania since becoming chair of the Democratic National Committee, for an election he felt good about. …

“In Pennsylvania, Martin was helping the state party’s effort to retain three state Supreme Court justices in an up-or-down vote. ‘Conservatives are going to try to buy these seats,’ he told Semafor at a coffee shop near the Allegheny County Democrats’ daily phone bank office, on Wednesday. Victory would ensure Democratic control of the court through the next few elections, just a year after Republicans won every statewide race in Pennsylvania.”

Fox News: DNC chair predicts wins in key governor races as Trump agenda faces first test

[Paul Steinhauser, 10/31/25]

“Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin is confident his party’s investment in 2025’s most consequential elections will pay off. …

“The DNC has dished out over $7 million – a party record – for get-out-the-vote and organizing efforts this summer and autumn in New Jersey, Virginia and Pennsylvania, where Democrats are fighting to retain three state supreme court seats. 

“‘I’ve always taken the position that every election matters, whether it’s an on year off year, whether it’s a local election, a federal election, every inch of ground that we gain here adds up,’ Martin emphasized. …

“Martin spoke during a two-day campaign swing through Pennsylvania, ahead of return stops to boost voter turnout in New Jersey and Virginia.”

Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Capital-Star Q&A: DNC Chair Ken Martin says Pa. Supreme Court election stakes are high

[Peter Hall, 10/30/25]

“As torrential rain fell in Philadelphia Thursday morning, Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin was preparing to rally labor and ward leaders for a get out the vote campaign in support of three state Supreme Court justices seeking second terms. …

“The stakes are very high in these races here. What we’ve seen, unfortunately in recent years, is attempts by far right billionaires to buy Supreme Court seats around the country … so they can do an end around state legislatures and governors and basically the will of the people in terms of direct representation. …

“And so what does that mean for Pennsylvanians? Well, it means that their rights are under attack. Things like their right to make their own decisions over their health care, for women to make decisions over their body, and voting rights are under attack. Everything from redistricting and education funding and everything else that comes before the courts. …

“I’ve been here a lot over the last eight months that I’ve been chair, and I can tell you, there’s a lot of energy on the ground out there for the vote yes campaign. And the one thing that I think that differentiates the two campaigns here is one is spending a lot of money on TV and mail, and the other is spending a lot of time and money on organizing, getting out there and talking to voters face to face, on the phones, texting, doing the grassroots organizing and having the conversations with voters that are going to matter.”

Washington Examiner: Democrats look to sell vision of spiraling Trump economy in final pitch before election

[Molly Parks, 10/31/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin emphasized Thursday how the two Democratic gubernatorial candidates running in 2025, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), have been “focused exclusively on affordability.”

“Martin pointed to persisting inflation under the Trump administration, saying President Donald Trump’s economic policies are “hurting so many Americans right now.”

“‘They can barely put groceries on the table. The cost of housing is sky high. Inflation has not come down,’ Martin said to reporters Thursday afternoon. ‘Mikie and Abigail have been focused relentlessly on making sure people can afford their lives.’”

InsiderNJ: Martin Vows to Protect Voters from Trump’s Federal Monitors

[Max Pizarro 10/31/25]

“On Halloween, Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin raced through rural New Jersey on his way to Morris County and a scheduled meeting with Mikie Sherrill volunteers.

“‘The DNC has invested $3.5 million, a lot of time and energy in New Jersey,’ he told InsiderNJ in a telephone interview. ‘The DNC has never invested this much money in New Jersey. This is such a critical race. We’ve heavily invested, with the state party, and with the [Sherrill] campaign, to make sure we win.’

“With time ticking down, a day before a rally for Sherrill with Barack Obama, he aims at all GOTV activities, reengaging voters and building direct voter contact.

“‘Mikie Sherrill has always been focused on New Jersey and New Jerseyans,’ Martin said. ‘That’s been the core of her message from day one. That’s why she will implement a state of emergency on day one and freeze energy costs. That’s why she’s focused on creating more affordable housing and education opportunities, to make sure kids have a fighting shot to get ahead. That’s why she’s focused on the economy, to give folks a chance to get ahead.’

“Sherrill’s opponent, Republican nominee for governor Jack Ciattarelli, is focused elsewhere, Martin added.

“‘He’s focused on Donald Trump,’ said the DNC Chairman. ‘He’s focused on a President who terminated the Gateway Tunnel costing, 100k good construction jobs at a time when jobs are few and far to come by. He’s focused on kissing Donald Trump’s ass. That’s the difference in this race. You need someone who’s going to fight for New Jerseyans, and that’s Mikie Sherrill.’”

NJ.com: Obama stumps for Sherrill in N.J., calls Ciattarelli a ‘suck-up’ to Trump amid tight governor race

[Victoria Gladstone, 11/1/25] 

“Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin told NJ Advance Media on Friday that Obama’s visit shows Democrats aren’t ‘going to take anything for granted’ despite Sherrill being up in the polls.

“‘We’re not going to believe the polls,’ Martin said in a phone interview. ‘There’s no one who can speak to the stakes of this election like Barack Obama. And so I’m grateful that he’s coming in. I think it will give a huge boost in the arm to all the activists and the volunteers who’ve been working so hard in the trenches for many months now to just keep their foot on the gas and do the work they need to put us over the finish line on Tuesday.’”

New Jersey Globe: Obama, Democrats rally to back Sherrill, rebuke Trump

[Zach Blackburn, 11/1/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin joined the attacks on Trump, calling Ciattarelli and the president ‘two sides of the same bad penny: arrogant, out of touch, and obsessed with helping the rich.’ The DNC and its affiliated groups have spent millions boosting Sherrill’s candidacy. DNC officials said today that volunteers have knocked on more than 700,000 doors and made more than 4.3 million calls to New Jersey voters.”

Politico: Democrats are searching for their next leader. But they still have Obama.

[Brakkton Booker and Madison Fernandez, 11/1/25]

“‘There’s no bigger voice, a more respected voice in our party, than Barack Obama,’ Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said. ‘And so having him come in to rally the troops in the final few days, to thank the volunteers and the people who’ve been on the ground working so hard, and to really create, help remind folks of what’s at stake in this election, it never hurts.’”

Fox News: Obama’s presence and Trump’s policies consume 11th-hour rally to keep NJ blue

[Emma Colton, 11/2/25]

“Sherrill, DNC chair Ken Martin, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, and other local Democrats took the stage of the auditorium to rally support for Sherrill, while also criticizing the Trump administration.”

TAPinto Newark: Obama Rallies for NJ Gubernatorial Candidate Sherrill in Newark

[Nicole Zanchelli, 11/2/25]

“Heavy-handed with ‘Hit the Road, Jack’ themes, Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), said that Ciattarelli – Sherrill’s opponent – spends ‘more time kissing Donald Trump’s ass than standing up for the people of New Jersey.

“‘When Trump attacks unions, Jack says nothing. When Trump threatens to cut funding for the Gateway Tunnel, Jack says it’s not a New Jersey issue.

“‘Are you kidding me, Jack?’”

NJ.com: Predicting the winner of N.J.’s huge governor’s race | What Makes Jersey Run

[Brent Johnson, 11/1/25]

“I spoke to Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin on the phone Friday and asked him if wins in New Jersey and Virginia would boost the party’s morale after last year’s losses. ‘Well, of course, sure,’ he told me. But look, we’ve been having tremendous success over the last nine months since Donald Trump was inaugurated. There’s been 45 elections, and Democrats have over-performed in all of them to the tune of about 16 percentage points on average, which is a historic over performance. And what it suggests is that Democrats have wind at their back and there’s momentum.’ And what does he make about Democrats being nervous about Sherrill’s campaign? ‘It’s not about being nervous,’ Martin said. ‘It’s about not taking anything for granted. And I think there’s a distinction there. There’s nothing in any of the polling or anything we’ve seen to date that suggests that Mikie’s in danger of losing this election. Just the opposite. … What we’re doing is we’re going to go out there and work extremely hard to talk to every voter in these final few days left and to turn out every single voter we can to vote in this all-important election.’”

Washington Times: Ciattarelli snatches another Democratic endorsement in final stretch of dead-heat New Jersey race

[Ben Sellers, 10/30/25]

“DNC chair Ken Martin plans to barnstorm the state on Friday and Saturday.

“In a DNC call Wednesday with party activists and volunteers in New Jersey, Democratic officials called the final days of the race an ‘all hands on deck’ emergency.”

NJ.com: N.J. governor race has Ciattarelli and Sherrill all but tied, says nation’s most accurate pollster

[Brent Johnson, 11/2/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin told NJ Advance Media on Friday that the party is ‘not taking anything for granted.’

“‘There’s nothing in any of the polling or anything we’ve seen to date that suggests that Mikie’s in danger of losing this election. Just the opposite,’ Martin said. ‘What we’re doing is we’re going to go out there and work extremely hard to talk to every voter in these final few days left and to turn out every single voter we can to vote in this all-important election.’”

Reuters Connect: DNC chair says Mikie Sherrill ‘in the driver’s seat’ and expects her to be the next NJ governor

[Reuters Staff, 10/31/25]

“DNC Chair Ken Martin: ‘We’ve always expected it to be close. I remember the race four years ago was decided by a very slim margin as well, when Phil Murphy won in 2021. We expect this to be close through the end. But certainly based on what I’m seeing and what we’re seeing throughout the state, I’ve been out talking to voters, there’s a lot of energy out there for Mikie’s campaign. It’s really resonating with New Jerseyans and we expect her to win on Tuesday. She’s closing strong. It’s important to note that right after the primary, when they began to poll in this race, she’s never been down in any single poll, public or private. She’s always led the race. And that certainly hasn’t changed as of today. And while we’ve always expected it to be close, she certainly appears to be in the driver’s seat. And the reason she’s in the driver’s seat is because she’s focused exclusively on a message that New Jerseyans are resonating with, which is affordability, how to actually make it easier for people to afford their lives in a day and age when it’s so expensive for most working families to actually get ahead. She’s giving them hope that under her administration, she’s going to actually be able to bring down costs and make it easier for people to afford their lives.’”

WRIC: DNC chair says he’s confident in Virginia ahead of Election Day

[Tannock Blair, 11/3/25]

“Ken Martin, the Democratic National Committee chair, shared his optimism for Virginia ahead of Election Day in an interview with Capitol Bureau Reporter Tyler Englander.

“‘We’ve got great candidates running terrific campaigns here — of course, led by Abigail Spanberger — and I’m really confident and bullish in our chances to win and win big here tomorrow evening,’ Martin told 8News on Monday morning. ‘This gubernatorial race here, all the races here in Virginia are really important — not just for Virginians but for the national party, for both parties, frankly, as we head into this critical off-year election.’ …

“‘There’s a lot of folks who are being squeezed in Virginia right now with the shutdown and, of course, the cuts earlier this year that have impacted federal employees … But also, just the economic anxiety that most Virginians are facing as a result of these disastrous economic policies of the Trump administration,’ Martin said. ‘That’s why Abigail’s winning — because her message of actually lowering costs and making people’s lives more affordable, focusing in on protecting their freedoms, is actually resonating with Virginians.’”

Washington Post: In history-making vote, Virginia to elect its first female governor

[Gregory S. Schneider, 11/4/25]

“‘The reason we’re going to win is because we have great candidates who are running on the issues that people care about,’ Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin told a group of volunteers Monday morning in Williamsburg as they prepared to canvass for votes. ‘There are still persuadable voters out there, so let’s go and get them!’”

New York Times: Elections on Tuesday Offer Democrats a Chance to Get Off the Mat

[Shane Goldmacher, 11/3/25]

“Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, predicted in an interview that victories on Tuesday would help his party head into 2026 with ‘a head full of steam.’

“‘Where there were once strong headwinds against the Democratic Party, there now seems to be wind at our back and momentum for sure,’ Mr. Martin said. He insisted, ‘it’s not just an anti-Trump wave that we’re seeing,’ but a powerful chord that Democrats have struck with their message on economics and affordability.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch: DNC leader says VA Dems ‘respond in kind’ to Trump on redistricting

[Michael Martz, 11/3/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin is campaigning in Virginia for gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and the rest of the party ticket. …

“He says he also fully supports a late Democratic push to draw new political maps in the state for a showdown with President Donald Trump and national Republicans in midterm congressional elections next year. …

“‘It is not a fight we started, but it is a fight we are not going to walk away from,’ Martin said in an interview on Sunday evening. He spoke as he traveled to Richmond to ‘fire up the troops’ on the eve of elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates.

“‘If they continue to do it, we’re going to respond in kind in every other state, including Virginia,’ he said.” 

Associated Press: Republicans seek to tap into Trump energy on eve of Election Day in New Jersey, Virginia

[Mike Catalini, Adriana Gomez Licon and Olivia Diaz, 11/3/25]

“In Virginia, Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin was knocking on doors for Spanberger and other Democrats. He said he felt confident that Democrats’ focus on affordability would pay off on Tuesday.

“Martin said he felt the diverse array of candidates, from Spanberger and Sherrill to Zohran Mamdani, the party’s New York City mayoral candidate, did well because they put the economy at the forefront of their campaigns.

“‘People are going to vote their pocketbook issues, their kitchen table issues, their own family anxieties about their future, before any other issue they care about,’ Martin told The Associated Press.”

NBC News: DNC chair defends party’s redistricting push: This isn’t ‘your grandfather’s Democratic Party that just rolled over’

[Gary Grumbach and Megan Lebowitz, 11/2/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin defended California’s redistricting efforts while criticizing Republicans’ own efforts as unconstitutional. …

“‘What they’re trying to do is steal the upcoming election, to rig the maps in a way that give them an unfair advantage, right?’ Martin said of Republicans. ‘And that is wrong, but it’s also unconstitutional and illegal.’

“‘So I would say this is not your grandfather’s Democratic Party that just rolled over and said, ‘Well, you know, it’s wrong. They shouldn’t be doing it,’” he added. ‘Well, you know, gosh darn if we’re not willing to stand up and fight for what we believe in.’”

HuffPost: California Kick-Starts Counteroffensive In Trump’s Redistricting War

[Paul Blumenthal and Kevin Robillard, 11/2/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said he hoped the proposition’s passage would have a ‘chilling effect’ on GOP redistricting efforts, noting Republicans are already facing resistance to their efforts in Indiana, Ohio and Missouri.

“In an interview with HuffPost, Martin stopped short of directly calling on Illinois, Maryland or other blue states to pass new maps but his intent was clear.

“‘This is a showdown Republicans wanted, and we’re going to give them a showdown,’ Martin said. ‘This is not the Democratic Party of yesteryear, where we can roll over and let them get away with this. We are going to fight fire with fire everywhere.’”

Washington Post: DNC chair isn’t taking New Jersey and Virginia for granted

[Matthew Choi and Dan Merica, 10/28/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, like many in his party, is feeling pretty good about New Jersey and Virginia. …

“Martin shared his thoughts with us before heading on a voter-turnout tour in Virginia and New Jersey, as well as in Pennsylvania, where three Democratic members of the state’s Supreme Court face a retention election that could alter the party’s supermajority.

“His visits follow his tour in California advocating for Proposition 50, which would allow the state to redraw its congressional districts to create more blue seats. He’ll begin his time on the East Coast as the Democratic candidates finish up bus tours with party heavyweights, including Pete Buttigieg, Josh Shapiro, Gretchen Whitmer and Wes Moore.”

USA Today: DNC head cautiously optimistic about Tuesday’s elections 

[Bart Jansen, Eduardo Cuevas, and Zac Anderson, 11/3/25]

“Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin expressed cautious optimism about his party’s chances of winning critical governor races in Virginia and New Jersey on Tuesday, despite tightening polls. …

“‘We’ve always expected the race to be close,’ he said. ‘But everything that I’ve seen I was on the ground there for the last three days shows record enthusiasm and excitement.’ 

“Wins on Tuesday, Martin said, will ‘signify that this notion that the Democratic Party is dead and can’t be resuscitated is deeply exaggerated.’”

New Republic: DNC Chair Says Whole System Is “Bullshit” and Needs to Change

[Malcolm Ferguson, 11/4/25]

“In a Monday interview just minutes away from Spanberger’s Norfolk, Virginia, campaign headquarters, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin assured me that his party did indeed have room for both Spanberger, the centrist former CIA agent, and Mamdani, the Ugandan-born Muslim democratic socialist—and that their ideological disagreements are actually good and healthy. 

“‘No one should confuse unity and unanimity within the party. We are a big-tent party. We’ve got many different ways of being a Democrat,’ Martin said, when I asked him about a lack of party congruency on more left-leaning, economic populist policies like universal health care and childcare. ‘We’ve got conservative Democrats, we’ve got centrists, we’ve got progressives like me, and we’ve got leftists in this party. …

“‘My job is to build power and actually win so we can get shit done for people,’ the chairman said. ‘There are values that connect all of us. And in a coalition, you work them out. You have the same goals. We have the same goals. How we get there, there’s lots of different ideas and opinions. And within a coalition party, you work those differences and opinions out, you compromise, and you find the policy that works for everyone, and then you go and get it done right.’” 

Reuters: Trump’s shadow looms over key state elections as voters pick governors and New York mayor

[Joseph Ax, 11/4/25]

“‘Whether it’s in New York City, whether it’s in Virginia, whether it’s in New Jersey – frankly, throughout the country – Democratic candidates are focused on the economy, focused on affordability, focused on the issues that are really driving anxiety in this country right now,’ Ken Martin, the Democratic National Committee chairman, said in an interview.”