After dropping out of the race for DNC chair, longshot candidate endorses Minnesota's Ken Martin.

After a long-shot candidate dropped out and endorsed Ken Martin, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair, the field of contenders to become the next Democratic National Committee chair has narrowed.

As the leader of the association of state Democratic Party chairs, Martin has been viewed as a top contender for the DNC position.

Politico reported Thursday morning that Martin received a boost after New York state Sen. James Skoufis dropped out of the race and endorsed him.

Martin will refocus our party's priorities by expanding our reach and rebuilding our inclusive base, as Skoufis stated in a statement to the outlet.

In the 2024 elections, Democrats faced significant losses across the board, with former President Trump winning the presidency and the GOP gaining control of the Senate and maintaining its slim majority in the House.

Last month, Martin revealed to Planet Chronicle Digital that his top priority as chair would be to devise a strategy for success.

"We must begin drafting the plan while examining the underlying details," he stated. "What is the total amount of money at the party? Which contracts do we need to eliminate? And, to be honest, uniting all of our stakeholder groups is the most crucial aspect."

Besides Ben Wikler, who has led the state Democratic Party in Wisconsin since 2019, and Martin O'Malley, the former two-term Maryland governor and 2016 presidential candidate who recently served as commissioner of Social Security, there are two other top contenders in the DNC race.

The DNC's winter meeting at National Harbor in Maryland will determine the next chair of the national party committee, as current chair Jaime Harrison is not seeking a four-year term.

Planet Chronicle Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.