MICHIGAN — The Democratic National Committee conducted a review following the party's loss in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Ken Martin, chair of the committee, published a report on the defeat.
The election review report did not include any discussion of former President Joe Biden's age or the war in Gaza. Ken Martin stated, "The Democratic brand is in trouble." He added, "We have to restore confidence in our party and show we can really deliver on our campaign promises to the American people."
Abbas Alawieh, a candidate for the Michigan state senate and a leader in the uncommitted movement, addressed the report's omissions. Alawieh stated, "The fact that the autopsy report did not grapple with that issue, I think it’s just a further indication that the party’s out of touch with where voters are." Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan U.S. Senate candidate and former public health official, also addressed voter concerns. El-Sayed said, "These are the issues that keep people up at night, and they feel like the party is just completely absent from the playing field, trying to fight the last battle, and even then, fought it poorly. So, I think people want a Democratic party that is willing to show up and fight on the issues that are the most important in their lives, and they’re just not seeing that."
Democratic candidates have reported that voters are seeking policy actions on various issues. These include healthcare, housing, affordability, immigration enforcement, education funding, foreign conflicts, fuel prices, artificial intelligence employment regulation, climate policy, and data center construction.
Martin was elected chair of the committee in February 2025. He initially declined to publish the election review, citing that it was unprepared for public distribution. Martin later acknowledged in a written post that his decision to withhold the report created a greater distraction than intended. Michigan state legislator and U.S. Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow organized a roundtable discussion with Donald Trump voters in a Michigan swing county. McMorrow stated that one participant supported Donald Trump due to promises to disrupt established policies, restore domestic employment, and end military engagements.