DNC Chair: 2025 Wins Provide Momentum — ‘We’re Not Out Of The Wilderness’ Until 2028

In the year since President Trump and Republicans won decisively in 2024, Democrats have been searching for a path out of what many in the party describe as the political "wilderness." A series of victories in 2025 — from New York City and California to New Jersey and Virginia — has eased some of that pressure and given party leaders fresh momentum.

In a wide-ranging interview with CBS News, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Ken Martin said the party's rebuilding is underway but far from finished. "I won't feel like we're out of the wilderness until we win in '28," Martin said. "Our motto at the DNC is all gas, no breaks. We're not gonna rest until November of 2028 and we've got a lot of work to do between now and then."

Momentum From 2025 Races

Martin said he has been "buoyed" by off-year wins, many at the local level. Democrats won governorships in New Jersey and Virginia by double-digit margins after losing ground in both states in 2024. In middle Tennessee, a Democratic candidate lost a special House election by 9 points — a marked improvement from the GOP's 21-point advantage there last year.

Strategy And Message

With the 2026 midterms less than a year away, Martin argued that Republican policies have created vulnerabilities. He pointed to polling suggesting that some groups who shifted toward Trump in 2024 — including younger voters, Latino voters and independents — are growing skeptical of his economic message. Martin criticized the administration's tariffs and said voters feel worse off than a year ago, a point he used to argue the political terrain favors Democrats heading into the midterms.

"Could it be a wave election? Sure, but we're not going to rest on that," Martin said. "If we do our job and we take advantage of the opportunity, we will win again. I'm confident we're going to win again. I'm not complacent."

Electoral Math

Midterm history typically favors the party out of the White House, and Democrats hope President Trump's low approval ratings could help. Republicans currently hold the U.S. House by a slim seven-vote margin, meaning only a small number of flips could return the chamber to Democratic control in 2026. Flipping the Senate is a steeper climb: Republicans lead 53-47 and there are only a few realistic pickup opportunities for Democrats.

Debate Over Tone And Candidates

This year's mixed results have not settled the internal debate over whether Democrats should lean progressive or moderate. Moderates Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill won key governorships, while democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani captured the New York City mayoralty on the same night — illustrating the party's ideological breadth.

Martin was asked about Rep. Jasmine Crockett's entrance into the high-profile 2026 Senate race in Texas. Crockett has a national profile from frequent media appearances, viral committee hearing moments and strong fundraising. Public polling has generally shown her and primary rival James Talarico trailing leading Republican contenders in hypothetical general-election matchups, and GOP officials were quick to seize on her candidacy as a vulnerability.

Fundraising And Resources

Asked how the DNC can compete with a massive Republican-aligned fundraising machine — which analysts estimate at roughly $1 billion when combining Trump operations, GOP committees and allied super PACs — Martin highlighted the DNC's financial strategy. He said the committee took a $20 million loan earlier this year to make targeted investments that helped win key races and positioned the party for future fundraising. The DNC has raised more than $95 million this year, Martin said.

"I made a big bet this year, and that was that we were going to take out a loan so we can invest heavily in these elections a month ago, and we won big," Martin said. "We feel really good about where we're at, and nothing's slowed us down in the sense that we can't do the work that we need to."

Martin reiterated the party's principle of respecting primary voters: he said DNC leaders should not "put our thumb on the scale" and that once a nominee is chosen the party must unify behind that candidate, even if primaries get "messy."

As Democrats plan for 2026 and the critical 2028 presidential contest, Martin emphasized disciplined messaging focused on affordability and kitchen-table issues as the clearest path back to competitive national politics.