CONTACT:
Gwen Pepin
[email protected]
CHICAGO, IL—Thursday evening, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez welcomed newly elected DNC Chair Ken Martin to DPI Headquarters during his nationwide “Organizing Everywhere” tour. Chair Martin’s visit focused on strengthening state parties, investing in local infrastructure, and mobilizing for upcoming elections.
During his visit, Chair Martin joined Chair Hernandez and a roundtable of Democratic County Chairs and Democratic County Executives from Cook and the Collar Counties for a discussion on organizing, voter engagement, and the work ahead to keep Illinois blue. He also met with key labor leaders, business leaders, and Democratic elected officials to talk about how national and state parties can work together to empower local communities.
“DNC Chair Ken Martin understands that strong state parties are the foundation of Democratic victories. He knows that winning doesn’t start in D.C.—it starts in communities, with local leaders organizing in every county,” said DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez. “Illinois Democrats are committed to doing the work, and with Ken’s leadership, we’re ready to build on our progress and defend our Democratic stronghold.”
Chair Martin emphasized his commitment to supporting and strengthening state and local Democratic organizations, underscoring the importance of showing up everywhere and meeting voters where they are.
“The Democratic Party wins when we organize everywhere and compete everywhere,” said DNC Chair Ken Martin. “Illinois is a model for what strong Democratic Party infrastructure can achieve, and I’m excited to work alongside DPI to strengthen our party and mobilize voters in 2025, 2026, and beyond.”
Chairs Martin and Hernandez were joined by Democratic County Chairs and Executives from Cook and the Collar Counties, who are leading efforts to organize locally and engage voters in communities across their communities:
- Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President & Chair of Cook County Democrats
- Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair
- Lauren Beth Gash, Chair of Lake County Democrats
- Corinne Pierog, Kane County Board Chair
- Mark Guethle, Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association President & Chair of Kane County Democrats
- Deborah Conroy, DuPage County Board Chair
- Reid McCollum, Chair of DuPage County Democrats
- Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive
- Burke Schuster, Chair of Will County Democrats
- Ruth Scifo, Chair of McHenry County Democrats
Illinois Democrats are ready to do the work, and with Chair Martin’s leadership at the DNC, we’ll continue building the infrastructure to win in 2025, 2026, and beyond.
