Martin will now begin the new task of helping Democrats rebuild after President Donald Trump won the November election by sweeping all seven battleground states and the popular vote.

His supporters erupted in a loud roar of cheers after he secured 246 votes, more than the 215 votes needed to win a majority of the 428 DNC members who voted in person and by proxy during the first ballot of voting.

“The fight is for working people. The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country,” Martin said in a victory speech before he thanked his competitors.

“We have to rebuild our coalition. We have to ignore the noise. We have to focus with intensity on the goal ahead, which is winning elections to improve people’s lives,” he added.

Party members are split on a specific strategy to retake power during the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.

But Martin claims they will implement a 50-state and seven-territory organizing tactic as well a rethinking messaging that will appeal to working-class voters who broke away from Democrats.

Eight candidates originally vied to replace Harrison with Martin, Wikler, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley as the leading contenders.

However, long-shot candidates Marianne Williamson and Nate Snyder endorsed Martin in a surprise move during their nominating speeches Saturday morning.

Many of the contenders mentioned the arduous task Democrats face in fighting back against a Trump-led Washington aided by a GOP that controls both chambers of Congress.

“This is a colossal failure of democracy, a colossal failure for our party,” said O’Malley during his nominating speech. “The stakes could not be higher. These are not ordinary times. This is not a normal DNC election. This is a time that cries out for new leadership and for change.”

“We got punched in the mouth in November. There’s no two ways about it,” Martin said in his nominating speech.

Democrats have been without a clear leader after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris left office but the new DNC chairman will have the opportunity to begin shaping the public’s perception of Democrats.

The rowdy affair at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center was not without some drama. Before voting began, Harrison alluded to some accusations of voter intimidation and chastised demonstrators.

“I’ve heard more over the course of the last few days while we were here, that people have been threatened about their vote,” he said. “They have been intimidated by their vote, that folks have been having donors called and say that we’re going to pull funding because of their votes. In this party, there will be no tolerance for that type of behavior.”

“We must be united because too much is at stake,” Harrison also cautioned Democrats after protesters interrupted the meeting.

Former interim DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile reiterated Harrison’s claims, reminding DNC members there wouldn’t be retaliation against their votes.

“Mr. Chair, as we prepare to vote, I would like you to reiterate what you have called upon us to do today, as Democrats, as Americans, to be able to cast our ballots free and fair without retaliation,” she said.

Harrison would later tell members that he would call out by name any person who is threatening voters.

Ron Harris, a Minnesota DNC member supporting Martin’s bid, stressed the Minnesota leader would work to restore Democrats to power.

Martin’s victory “means that the party has made a commitment for year-round organizing, for making sure that we’re contesting every single ballot,” he said.

“It means that we’re going to have a rebranding project to make sure that our brand actually reflects what our values actually are, and that the people know it,” Harris continued. “It means that we’re going to be invested in new media and media alternatives, making sure that we’re present on every platform, and we’re setting the environment. So we’re the thermostat, not the thermometer.”