by Hanna Grissel
On Feb. 25, the Obama administration’s former Labor Secretary, Tom Perez, beat out Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., 235-200 in a close race for the position of chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
With the election of Perez, leftist progressives were told once again that the Democratic centrist establishment heads will be funneled into leadership positions regardless of the mass opposition to centrist values. Though after comments by Perez and Ellison alike at the announcement, it seems there may be hope for change in the Democratic Party.
When we acknowledge both Perez’s and Ellison’s strong progressive backgrounds, it’s easy to see why the race was so close. In short, both candidates have championed civil rights and workers’ rights throughout their careers. However, Perez’s support for neoliberal policies such as the TPP, (which would make corporate profits a priority over the well being of people and the environment) exposes the difference between him and Ellison.
This difference was clearly recognized by Ellison’s supporters at the announcement. Immediately after the results were given Ellison supporters chanted, “Party for the people, not big money.” However much to the surprise of Ellison’s supporters, Perez immediately announced Ellison would be given the position of deputy chairman. A declaration that’s surely exciting, but further shows the establishment Democrats know where they are going wrong.
Or, at least, that they know they need to give some support to the far left in order to unite their party once again. The Democratic establishment has propelled a narrative around centrist pragmatism for too long. And they have created a party that’s just as dependent and controlled by big money as the right that they claim to abhor.
But listening to Perez’s and Ellison’s comment after the results showed that things may be moving toward a people-focused party again. Perez said in his speech, “We’re no longer simply the committee that helps elect the president; we’re the committee that helps to ensure we’re electing people up and down the Democratic ticket.”
What seems to be happening in light of the induction of President Trump’s administration and the GOP’s full control of the House and Senate, is that even neoliberals are realizing they need to take a step back from pandering to their corporate sponsors and work to regain the support of the people at large through progressive policy.
Even though leftists took the hit, Ellison was quick to align himself with the unity and grass-roots organizing Perez spoke about. After Ellison was announced as deputy chairman, he said, “If you came here supporting me … I’m asking you to give everything you’ve got to support Chairman Perez. We don’t have the luxury, folks, to walk out of this room divided.”
Ellison, with his long history of organizing and increasing voter turnout in his own community, knows the importance of a bottom-up theory of change. If he is willing to stand behind Perez, who said Feb. 25, “We also need a chair that can lead, turn around and change the culture of Democratic Party and the DNC,” then Democrats might do well to follow his footsteps and work with the party to elect progressive candidates in the 2018 midterm elections.
Because at this point, in which one sees fascism creeping its way up the hill, the Democratic Party has two choices: disband and let the GOP sustain their power in the upcoming elections, or unite behind the commonly shared principles that have lead leftists such as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Ellison to support their opponents Hillary Clinton and Perez post-election.