DNC releases 2024 review after delay, internal pressure

May 22, 2026

Summary

The Democratic National Committee published its delayed 2024 election review after months of internal pressure and criticism.

Why this matters

The report offers an official, if disputed, account of what Democratic leaders and operatives said went wrong in 2024 as the party prepares for the midterms. Its release also highlights internal divisions over transparency, strategy, and party leadership.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin on Thursday released the party’s long-delayed review of the 2024 election, after months of internal criticism over his decision not to publish it.

The roughly 200-page draft cited problems including messaging that “created tensions with key constituencies” on the economy, delayed field organizing, underfunded state parties, declines in voter registration, and a lack of alignment between the party’s main super PAC and then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.

Martin said he had initially withheld the report because it lacked supporting material. “When I received the report late last year, it wasn’t ready for primetime — not even close — and because no source material was provided, it would have meant starting over,” he said.

He added: “I could not in good faith put the DNC’s stamp of approval on the report that was produced. After last November’s massive Democratic wins, I didn’t want to create a distraction, but by not putting the report out, I ended up creating an even bigger distraction. For that, I sincerely apologize.”

Martin also said he was releasing the report “in its entirety, unedited and unabridged,” adding, “It does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards.” Hours later, he told DNC members on a call that author Paul Rivera no longer “is with or advises the DNC in any capacity,” according to a source on the call.

Pressure to release the report had grown from DNC members, outside groups, and some candidates.

Among the issues that delayed publication, according to a source familiar with the matter, the DNC said it never received a list of interview subjects, interview transcripts, or notes despite multiple requests.

Next to one passage criticizing how Harris was supported before entering the race, the annotation said: “No evidence provided for these claims.”

The release added to a difficult period for the DNC under Martin. The committee has also faced internal disputes over party leadership and lagged the Republican National Committee in fundraising. Federal filings showed the Republican National Committee had raised $247 million and held $123.9 million in cash with no debt, while the DNC had raised $189 million, held about $14.4 million in cash, and carried $17.5 million in debt through April.

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