Former President Barack Obama nominated him as labor secretary in July 2013. “Party for the people, not big money!” and “Money out of politics!” some chanted, while others muttered curses.
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“By selecting a D.C. insider, Democrats only create deeper divisions within their own party by pushing a far left agenda that rejects a majority of their base outside Washington”, McDaniel said.
Democrats compared the race to a proxy war since Ellison enjoyed the support of the party’s liberal wing while Perez received support from centrists in the Obama and Clinton camps.
Even President Donald Trump congratulated Perez on Twitter, appearing to acknowledge the doubt surrounding the new chairman’s ability to unite the party before the next mid-term and presidential elections. The fight has all the makings of a repeat of the bruising Democratic primary, where an establishment-backed Hillary Clinton squared off against Vermont U.S. Sen.
Perez and Ellison were two of seven candidates vying to head the DNC, including Sally Boynton Brown of Idaho, South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Fox News analyst Jehmu Greene, US veteran Sam Ronan, and Wisconsin lawyer Peter Peckarsky.
In defeat, Ellison, who was an early supporter of Bernie Sanders’ presidential run and has always been a liberal darling, asked the party to unify. “We’ve got to take it to the real opposition, which is the Republicans”, Buttigieg said in the debate.
“I think he showed what talent he brings to the table”, said Aguilera.
“Unity is essential”, Mr. Ellison said. We can’t get a WiFi network that 500 (or so) people can use to cast a vote with their phones? “We have to come out of here hand and hand, brothers and sisters, because Trump is right outside that door”.
Ellison said the party must prioritize small donations and switch from anti-Trump “demonstration energy to electoral energy”. His entire career has been devoted to fighting for civil rights, workers’ rights, and social justice.
Ellison had been campaiging for chairman of the Democratic National Committee since November. But he has the endorsement of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Elizabeth Warren of MA, and major unions such as the AFL-CIO endorsed him.
The DNC has suffered a series of blows to its credibility during the presidential campaign after the emails of Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta containing evidence of the DNC’s bias in favor of Clinton were published by WikiLeaks.
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A month later, Mr. Perez entered the race at the urging of Mr. Obama. The results have shown: Republicans now control the White House, Capitol Hill and almost two-thirds of state legislatures and governorships. Ellison supporters label Perez as part of the party establishment, which is more of a feeling than a proven fact, and Perez supporters label Ellison as too radical, which is again is moire of an opinion than a fact.
