Looking for the Next DNC Chairman

With two candidates declining to run for the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee, Democrats are facing what could be a bruising battle to take over the leadership of an organization that is clearly rocked and racked with concerns over the future.

If I were a DNC delegate and I was looking for wins in the future, I would look to Martin Frost. Frost has proven credentials as a leader of the party, if not a stellar record as the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (the party lost seats in each of his two terms). Of the four candidates clearly in the race, Frost is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of profile and skill. A solid Democrat, he is not nearly as liberal as say Nancy Pelosi and as a southerner may still appeal to red staters who feared the stark liberalism of John Kerry.


Simon Rosenberg has ties to the kind of new Democrats of the Bill Clinton mold, but I would question whether the Democratic move to the center, which would be indicated by the selection of Rosenberg, is in the offering. Rosenberg's New Democrat Network has strong ties to the business community and could make like a little more difficult for the GOP, but I don't think the Democrats have the spine to make a clear break from its liberal, bicoastal base. Rosenberg is a risky candidate, but an attractive one.

Wellington Webb's appeal is that he represents what should be the future of the Democratic party, i.e. the states and grassroots networks. The problem is that the Democrats have not learned the lesson yet that politics at the grassroots takes time, organization and a lot of effort. Republican dominance in the past decade is not an overnight thing that came in 1994, rather it took decades to build networks, groom young candidates and patience to grow your organization from the ground up. Right now Democrats seem to desire a quick fix and the long view seems to be a side thought at best.

Now some would argue that Howard Dean would be one person that can build a ground up organization, just look at his internet organization and fundraising. First, no doubt about it, Dean harnessed the internet like no other candidate before to raise funds for his campaign and for others. But Dean was merely successful at a evolutionary step in campaigning, he did not revolutionize campaigning by any stretch of the imaginaion. Dean's fundraising prowess was not matched with an adequate organization on the ground, just look at his meltdown in organization states like Iowa.

No what Dean has is a connection to the states, and if the Democrats are serious about becoming a relevant party again, they must look to the states.

I think Martin Frost is the best choice. He understands the need for organization, money and more importantly time. The question will be whether the DNC will give him that time. For the GOP, they must remember not to react to the DNC choice, but rather play their own game to keep the Democrats on the defensive. Going up against Martin Frost would make the GOP that much more effective--a great opponent always improves your own game.

Field of Candidates for DNC Chairman Narrows to Four (washingtonpost.com)