Ben Wikler for DNC Chair Endorsement -
Grassroots are Ready for the DNC to Win
The Grassroots Connector is endorsing Ben Wikler for the next DNC Chair. Based on his track record as Wisconsin Chair, Ben will work to rebuild the Democratic Party from the ground up. He will reach out to bring elected officials, state leaders and outside groups together, and he will raise and spend money strategically to make sure we have the necessary resources to compete with Trump’s MAGA machine to win elections.
We are endorsing Ben Wikler because Ben has transformed Wisconsin into a national model for how Democrats can win — not just during election cycles, but through a permanent campaign that organizes, communicates, and builds year-round infrastructure. Under his leadership, Wisconsin Democrats have flipped seats, ended gerrymandering, and delivered historic wins in the swingiest of swing states. Ben is a proven fundraiser, strategist, and communicator who will bring unprecedented resources and talent to the DNC.
We need a 365-day-a-year Democratic Party campaign machine. That is what the delegates who vote for party chair, all 448 of them, should want for our party and our country. Ben's track record is nothing but remarkable and his leadership of involving the grassroots in his state's political party apparatus is worthy of note.
At the many forums already held, Ben presented the clearest picture of stepping forward, not marching in place. While some of the other candidates introduced creative ideas which should be taken seriously, they lack Ben’s depth of experience and proven ability to unite both strategy and execution.
Grassroots groups across the country know Ben as a tireless organizer who engaged the grassroots in advance of the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Ben personally met with grassroots leaders to explain his strategy. In response, volunteers and donors filled the WisDems’ war chests, phone banks and campaign offices with donations and labor. Judge Janet Protasiewicz ultimately won a seat and flipped the Wisconsin Supreme Court from conservative to progressive.
Republicans, outraged at their loss, moved to impeach Judge Protasiewicz before she had even cast a single vote. Ben Wikler refused to let this travesty unfold. In a highly unusual move, the WisDems launched a multi-faceted campaign that included advertising, letters to the editor, and phone banks. He saved her seat and she cast the deciding vote to undo Wisconsin's extreme gerrymandering, which was key to Wikler’s strategy to flip one or both state legislative chambers in 2026.
We urge the DNC voting members to elect Ben Wikler as DNC Chair with an explicit mandate to work with grassroots groups across the country to revive the Democratic brand, win statewide races in 2025 and the House in 2026.
The Grassroots are by definition outsiders. In 2017, we jumped in to fill gaps in the Democratic apparatus which became so obvious after Hillary’s defeat and our congressional and state election losses. When we endorse a candidate, it is based on hard fought battles, community based conversations and expertise, all of which we offer to the party for free. Since 2017, the grassroots groups who marshall volunteers and funds have made a notable difference in a number of close races. The next DNC Chair must make engaging with grassroots groups a year round priority for any and all of the reasons below:
You need an army of resourceful, creative, and talented volunteers
You need our money to deliver your message
You need our commitment to get out the vote
You need us to cure ballots
You need our votes
Based on our knowledge of relational organizing and the experience we have had working in with Democratic organizations, campaigns, and party officials across the country, we are heartily endorsing Ben Wikler.
We invite you to join with our Editorial Board and the hundreds of groups and volunteers who have signed the Ben Wikler for Chair grassroots endorsement letter.
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Endorsing Organizations:
31st St. Swing Left (D.C.,MD, VA)
350 Alexandria (VA)
Allies for Democracy, (MD)
Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club, (MD)
Bay Area for Wisconsin, (CA)
Be the Change Bmore (Baltimore, MD)
Call 4 Change
CD22 Action Network, (Bay Area, CA)
Charlestown Democratic Town Committee (MA)
COVA Coalition (Coastal Virginia)
Democracy: Start Here (Moss Beach CA),
Downtown Nasty Women’s Social Group
Indivisible Benn County VT
Indivisible Bethlehem NY
Indivisible Berkeley Elections Alums (CA)
Indivisible Boros and Beyond, (Northboro, MA)
Indivisible Elmwood, Berkeley, (CA)
Indivisible Northampton-Swing Left Western MA
Indivisible Livermore (CA)
Indivisible Sonoma County (CA)
Indivisible Shoreline (CT)
Indivisible Stamford, (CT)
Indivisible We Stand UWS, (NYC)
Lean Left Vermont
Left Field Votes (Great Barrington, MA)
MAFlipPA
Manchester-by-the-Sea Democratic Town Committee (MA)
Markers for Democracy (NY)
Neighbors for Progressive Action (Oakland CA)
Network NOVA (VA)
NOPE (D.C.)
Postcards for America (CA)
Postcards4VA (VA)
Progressive Schenectady (NY)
Red2Blue
ReSisters CT
Seniors Taking Action
Sister District, San Francisco,
Southern Maine Voter Team
Swing Blue Alliance
Team Min (NYC)
Together We Will Albany Berkeley (CA)
Upper West Side Action Group (NYC)
VoPro Pros
WeGOTV.NY
We of Action Virginia (Indivisible affiliated)
The Grassroots Connector invites readers to forward this letter to state party chairs and anyone designated as a voting delegate.
We need a Chair who will get into the Red areas of Blue States & Blue areas of Red states. Nobody should be left out.
Signed and shared on Mastodon and a few private FB groups.
FYI, both Threads and FB (public post) would not let me post the link to this Substack page.
I'll put it inside a Google doc and then share it when I get to my laptop and add that here.