Democrats Map Strategy and Urge Unity ’to Win Elections, Not Arguments’

DNC leaders stress fighting back while bringing voters into the fold as they honor the memory of Melissa Hortman at the party’s summer meeting.

Ken Martin, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, listens to speakers during a press conference with Texas Democrats at the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades union hall on Aug. 5, 2025, in Aurora, Ill. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called upon fellow Democrats to prioritize results over rhetoric as the party opened its summer meeting in Minneapolis on Aug. 25.

“After six months as chair, I’ve learned that a lot of people, especially folks in DC, think they can change things by winning arguments,” Martin told the crowd of Democrats from across the country.