Longtime Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin was elected chair of the Democratic National Committee Saturday in a commanding first ballot victory, vaulting him to the national stage while leaving a major hole to fill for local Democrats.

Looking to rebuild after the party's election loss to Donald Trump in November, the Democratic National Committee on Saturday elected Ken Martin, the leader of the state party in Minnesota, as its new chair.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has a new leader: Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party for more than a decade. Martin, 51 and a resident of Eagan, was elected DNR chair on the first ballot of voting Saturday, signaling "overwhelming support from DNC members," a news release says.