Elected President Joseph R. Biden Jr. plans to nominate Jaime Harrison as his choice to lead the Democratic National Committee, which is part of the effort to strengthen the committee ahead of what is already expected to challenge the party’s mid-term election, according to two people with knowledge of the choice.
A former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Mr. Harrison, became a national political star last year when he smashed fundraising records in his race against Senator Lindsey Graham, who was eligible for re-election. While Mr. Harrison lost in November, with 44 percent of the vote on Mr. Graham’s 55 percent, he has developed a broad bank of support across the party.
The choice of mr. Harrison, on the heels of the victories of Mr. Praying in Arizona and Georgia in November, the elect of the president’s years of determination that the Democrats will compete in one-time red states reflects a recognition that the party will never sustain a lasting congressional majority without sailing across the Sun Belt. .
Biden’s top advisers also plan to appoint a small group of elected Democrats as vice presidents to reward their support in the campaign and give them the opportunity to be high surrogates. Government Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Representative Filemon Vela of Texas and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta will serve in the roles.
According to the tradition of the committee members who elect the president, there is no mention of Mr. Harris does not expect to get a challenger for the job.
Mr. Harrison is known to the staff and members of the DNC, due to his work on the State Party of South Carolina and a failed attempt to become chairman of the committee in 2017. Outgoing DNC chairman Tom Perez won it Harrison was backed by South Carolina Representative James E. Clyburn, an influential Biden ally who helped the president-elect run the primary race in Clyburn’s. to win home state.Mr Perez chose not to bid for a second term.
Incoming presidents traditionally take control of the party committees by installing their own chairmen and staff members. Former President Barack Obama has chosen to try to establish his own political operation outside the committee, a decision that, according to many DNC members, has damaged state parties and led to years of national dysfunction.
Mr. Biden is much more a party institutionalist and has promised to rebuild state parties and deepen investments in the committee.
Mr. Harrison has been favored by state party leaders, who see him as an ally in their effort to keep the committee focused on rebuilding local party infrastructure. After the election of mr. Biden has sent dozens of state party chairmen and vice-chairmen a letter to his transition team that does not include Mr. Harrison does not mention, but contains a number of traits that match his experience and skills.
“We are convinced that he not only believes in the organizing principle of state parties, but that he will be a very loud voice in the Biden government,” said Jane Kleeb, chairwoman of the Nebraska Democratic Party.
The focus on the National Party Committee comes as the Democrats try to navigate a deeply uncertain electoral landscape. Even before the attack on the U.S. Capitol toppled U.S. politics, Democrats were expecting tough House-Senate Senate races in 2022 and the continuing possibility that Mr. Biden – who will become the oldest president in the country’s history on Wednesday – may decide not to offer him a second term.
But even before the intermediaries, the party committee will have to bridge the divide between Democrats who want Mr. Biden and his messages should focus on the unification of the country and a liberal wing that is eager to pursue prosecutions and other measures to hold President Trump and his allies accountable. .
The role of mr. Harrison’s homeland in the early primary process could complicate discussions about changing the nomination process. South Carolina is the fourth state to hold a primary contest, a role that brings candidates, spending, news coverage and an extraordinary say in the nomination battle.
The party has major concerns about the fairness of complex caucus processes, as used in Iowa and Nevada, along with questions about how two relatively older, whiter states – Iowa and New Hampshire – cast the first two sets of votes. Some party leaders in Nevada are already campaigning for the end of all caucuses and to dethrone Iowa for the first round of voting.