Ben Wikler: The Wisconsin Visionary is the DNC's Best Choice for Teens’ Futures
Article by Arlo Heltzer
What is the Democratic National Committee (DNC)?
When someone thinks about “the Democratic Party,” the entity they are thinking about is the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The DNC is the umbrella organization of Democrats, including national, state, and local Democrats. The overarching goal of the DNC is to “build a better America” by fine-tuning the Democratic platform to work for working Americans, fundraising to support Democratic candidates, and organizing activists to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot. While the DNC has no legislative power, it has tremendous influence over Democratic candidates and public policies.
The DNC is comprised of many separate but interconnected committees, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), the Democratic Mayors Association (DMA), and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DCSS). Our committee, High School Democrats of America (HSDA), is also a part of the DNC.
Election for Chair of the DNC
The DNC will elect a new leader on February 1, 2025. The current chair, Jamie Harrison, announced he is not seeking a second term, thus leaving the position open.
At the time of this article, the following nine individuals have announced their candidacy for the position:
Quintessa Hathaway, educator and former congressional candidate from Arkansas.
Robert Houton, nonprofit executive
Ken Martin, leader of Minnesota’s Democratic Party and vice chair of the DNC
Martin O’Malley, former governor of Maryland
Jason Paul, executive member of the Newton, Massachusetts Democratic City Committee
James Skoufis, member of the New York State Senate
Nate Snyder, former U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Marianne Williamson, self-help author, and past presidential candidate
The DNC has 448 voting members, including two members from HSDA. The candidate who wins a majority of the votes will become the next party chair.
Ken Martin was viewed as the original front-runner, as he is a vice chair of the DNC. However, ever since entering the race, Ben Wikler has been rounding up endorsements and has garnered overwhelming support from media and grassroots organizations across the nation. For the reasons outlined below, I wholeheartedly support Ben Wikler for the next chair of the DNC.
Why Should Teens Care about the DNC Chair Election?
With few exceptions, current high school students will be eligible to vote in the next presidential election. The next chair of the DNC will help define who Democrats are and what they stand for, which will influence our future presidential nominees.
But it’s not only about 2028. Democrats must win back a majority in the House during the 2026 midterms if they want safeguards against the Trump administration. To do that, Democrats need someone who can dramatically change their methods of communicating and campaigning, and Ben is the only candidate running for chair with a proven track record of turning around a party to win elections.
Teens face a lot of unique issues, and we need the Democratic Party to protect us and our futures. For starters, kids in America can be peacefully sitting in class when all of a sudden they are in fear for their lives as an active shooter begins hunting down classmates and teachers. We need to address common sense gun laws; we cannot afford to wait any longer.
Have you seen Interstellar? The 2014 fictional film is starting to look more and more like our reality as our planet is suffering the dangerous effects of climate change. Teenagers today may never have the pleasure of playing with their future kids in the snow or skiing down a mountain with their future families. We need a leader who will fight against Trump’s disbelief in climate change.
Why Ben is Best for American Teens
I believe Ben Wikler is the best candidate for chair of the DNC. Ben’s campaign slogan—“Unite. Fight. Win.”—best summarizes his vision for the future of the DNC, and highlights his strengths as a party chair.
Unite. We cannot afford to wait until the last minute (again) to introduce our candidates to the public. Ben’s idea of uniting the party with year-round and ballot-wide campaigning, which he successfully implemented in Wisconsin, will push Democrats across the country to victory. Ben will unite all corners of the Democratic Party, including teens. By including teens’ voices, our unique perspectives will impact candidates’ platforms and therefore our futures.
Ben’s experience as chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin taught him change comes not only from the top of the ticket, but also from down-ballot: state and local elected officials have immense power over the laws which impact our daily lives, including gun laws, reproductive rights, and other civil liberties. Ben will unify the party in elevating the importance of state and local elections across the country. Ben understands that for a tree to grow strong, its roots need to be nurtured.
And let’s be honest. We need to learn from our mistakes. Ken Martin was the vice chair of the DNC last cycle; his lack of party unity was part of the problem—Democrats got crushed—we simply cannot have the same leadership and lack of campaign unity if we want to win the next cycle.
Fight. Leading up to November 5th, there was a lack of information on teens’ communication platforms about the candidates’ policies. Instead, unjustified opinions were circulating among teens with messages like, “It’s not that I like Trump, it’s that I don’t like Kamala.” The lack of education about Trump’s vicious policies in part led to his success. Democrats need to fight back against incomplete and misleading information by educating teens using actual teen methods of communication. As a dad to pre-teens, Ben understands us and how we communicate. He has an active social media presence and will train others to communicate effectively with teens.
Win. As chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Ben has experience winning elections in a swing state. Since taking over the chair role of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in 2019, Democrats claimed victory in seven out of 10 statewide races in Wisconsin. Ben can apply these experiences at the national level, helping Democrats WIN all over the country. Ken Martin is chair of the Democratic Party of Minnesota, a reliably blue state. Where is the evidence he can push through adversity and win battleground elections like Ben can? A vote for Ken Martin is a vote for the status quo; it's a vote for the leadership which brought us to our current predicament—a party without control of any branch of the federal government. As the future of our country, teens cannot afford more losses. Democrats need to evolve to WIN and we need Ben as our leader to do that
Conclusion
As teens, we are either going to inherit a dim future overshadowed by Republicans of diminished civic rights, continued fear for our lives in schools, and we will be forced to watch our planet burn; or, a bright future fueled by Democrats of equality under the law, safety from gun violence, and we will inhabit a beautiful and healthy planet. Without being overly dramatic, electing Ben as the DNC chair can make all of the difference in our futures.