New Hampshire Democratic chair to seek top national post
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party is joining the competition to be the next leader of the Democratic National Committee.
Ray Buckley planned to officially announce his candidacy Tuesday afternoon. Buckley’s bid comes as the DNC decides how to move forward after major losses in the presidential contest and races nationwide. The party is also dealing with distrust over its perceived favoritism of Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary.
“The DNC from top to bottom needs urgent reform,” Buckley wrote in a Monday email to state party officials previewing his announcement. “I hope to bring our NH commonsense to the national party.”
Buckley’s competition includes Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, and former DNC chairman Howard Dean. Members of the DNC will gather in late February to choose a new leader.
New Hampshire served as a bright spot for Democrats at the top of the ticket this year, with outgoing Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan winning a U.S. Senate seat and Democrats taking both congressional seats. Those wins weren’t replicated at the State House, where Republicans won the governor’s seat and control of the Statehouse.
Buckley, 57, was elected state party chair in 2007 after serving as an elected official, running statewide campaigns and serving in a variety of party leadership roles. At the national level, he’s a vice chair of the DNC and president of the Association of State Democratic Chairs. He’s been actively involved in gay rights group.
Kathy Sullivan, a Democratic National Committeewoman from New Hampshire, said Buckley has helped grow state parties and build grassroots organizing efforts.
“Raymond has, in the past several years, been a strong voice for the state parties at the Democratic National Committee at a time when there weren’t many voices sticking up for the state parties,” Sullivan said. “I think he goes into this race with a good block of support.”
