Ex-DNC chair Jaime Harrison says Democrats sidelined his voice and Black voters during 2024 campaign.

Former Chair Says He Was Marginalized in 2024 Strategy

Jaime Harrison, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee, expressed deep frustration with party leadership following the Democratic loss to President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Speaking to The Washington Post during South Carolina’s Democratic convention on Saturday, Harrison said he felt ignored and dismissed by party insiders throughout the campaign season.

“I feel like, as chair, my voice was not always heard, that I was taken for granted,” Harrison stated. “I was seen as somebody to just rubber-stamp and not to actually have a seat at the table to influence certain things. And that has to change.”

Harrison criticized the party for marginalizing Black leadership and failing to engage Black voters meaningfully. “We can’t just be nice ornaments,” he said. “We actually have to have a substantive and real role in terms of directing this party and moving this party forward.”

Broader Discontent Within Democratic Ranks

Harrison’s comments follow broader dissatisfaction among Black Democrats. Catherine Fleming Bruce, a Senate candidate from South Carolina, voiced frustration over what she saw as a closed and opaque process for replacing President Biden on the 2024 ticket. “We should be making sure that we have Democratic processes at all times,” she told the Post.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore also weighed in, noting the party’s tendency to focus on Black voters only during election years. “It’s tiring,” Moore said.

Christale Spain, chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, emphasized that the party had overlooked its most reliable supporters. “We can’t lose our most dependable base because we’re chasing rainbows,” she said. “You’ve gotta know where your bread is buttered. Invest there.”

Defending Biden, Rejecting Sanders’ Critique

After the election, Senator Bernie Sanders accused the Democratic Party of abandoning the working class. Harrison strongly rejected this characterization in a social media post, calling it “straight up BS.”

“Biden was the most pro-worker President of my lifetime,” he wrote, citing his defense of union pensions, job creation, and support for striking workers. Harrison also highlighted several policy initiatives advanced under Biden’s leadership, including expanded child tax credits, down payment assistance for homebuyers, and Medicare benefits for in-home elder care.

“There are a lot of post-election takes and this one ain’t a good one,” Harrison concluded.

As the Democratic Party regroups after a significant electoral defeat, Harrison’s remarks underscore growing tensions around representation, transparency, and the role of Black leadership within the party’s future direction. The coming months may prove critical in determining whether the party addresses these concerns or continues to alienate key constituencies.