Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin has decided not to release the autopsy report of the 2024 election despite pledging to do so at the beginning of the year.
Martin claimed in a statement released on Thursday that the party has already learned from the devastating loss former Vice President Kamala Harris suffered against President Donald Trump, along with the loss of control in Congress, and will implement those lessons moving forward.
“We completed a comprehensive review of what happened in 2024 and are already putting our learnings into motion. And we’re winning again—even in places that haven’t gone blue in decades,” Martin said.
Democrats have overperformed in a majority of special and off-year elections since the 2024 race, including winning the governor’s mansions in New Jersey and Virginia. However, they have also been plagued by internal party drama over elderly Democrats holding on to power and the combativeness of a strategy to take on fighting Trump.
But Martin claimed that looking backward is not in the best interest of a party that hopes to flip control of the House and Senate during next year’s midterm elections.
“In our conversations with stakeholders from across the Democratic ecosystem, we are aligned on what’s important, and that’s learning from the past and winning the future,” Martin said. “Here’s our North Star: does this help us win? If the answer is no, it’s a distraction from the core mission.”
In February, on the same day he won the DNC chairmanship, Martin said that one of his priorities was to launch a post-election review process quickly, which would be released to members and the public.
“There has to be some lessons that we glean on that so we can operationalize it, not just here in D.C., but through all of the 57 state parties,” said Martin at the time. “And, of course, the county parties, so people have a sense of what we need to do. What are our marching orders? What did we learn from this last election that can help inform the future and help put us back on track?”
According to a DNC official, the organization has conducted hundreds of interviews in all 50 states about the 2024 race, but the consensus is that infighting over the race would distract from the focus on winning back power in 2026.
Despite raising more than $1 billion in her 107-day race against Trump, Harris had a strategy problem that cost her the race, internal interviews showed. Democratic outreach did not persuade enough voters to back the party at the ballot. Part of the problem, according to some of the party’s takeaways, was that organizing began too late, persuadable voters were not contacted in time, and one-on-one texting did not lead to meaningful conversations.
DNC insiders told the Washington Examiner that the decision not to publish the report was “moronic,” “just dumb,” and a “stupid idea.”
Not publishing the report is likely to increase the skepticism that progressives have of party leadership, one Democratic insider said. The success Democrats have had in races this year may be more attributed to Trump’s mistakes as opposed to Democrats having an air-tight message that appeals to voters, they added.
“The creator space will view the DNC’s decision as aligned with a status quo behavior that isolates the general public and their viewers,” another Democrat said. “Whether the autopsy offers a fresh perspective after a year of ‘where did it go wrong for Dems?’ chatter is unclear. Maybe irrelevant.”
If Harris does run again in 2028, the lack of an autopsy report will likely overshadow her campaign during an open primary season.
Democrats began 2025 deeply divided over how to win back an American public that shifted toward the GOP. Younger Democrats, including former DNC Vice Chairman David Hogg, have pushed for older Democrats to make way for new ideas and leaders to chart a path forward. Former President Joe Biden’s age and declining mental health are among the top issues Democrats continue to debate over whether they cost the party the election.
Liam Kerr, founder of the centrist group Welcome PAC, said not releasing the autopsy was a wise move to avoid possible backlash from powerful left-wing groups.
“The party needs an intervention, and silence is better than half measures,” Kerr said. “Interventions are hard, and telling tough truths are hard. And so if you’re not going to go all the way there, you might as well mind your business. And in politics, it’s usually good for business to not upset anybody.”
“Every cycle, the formal party gets a little weaker, and outside groups get a little stronger. And facing the harsh reality of what’s wrong with the Democratic Party would open them up to too many attacks from powerful left-wing outside groups, and it’s probably smart not to release it,” he added.
KAMALA HARRIS SAYS DEMOCRATS NEED POST-TRUMP MESSAGE TO FIX ‘FLAWED STATUS QUO’
But other Democrats, who are more concerned with flipping the House and Senate next year, claimed that Martin’s decision was best for a party that has spent months trying to rebuild low poll numbers and stem the internal drama from spilling out into the public.
“This is the right call. The DNC knows how to implement lessons learned without creating a poorly-timed distraction,” said Xochitl Hinojosa, former DNC communications director, in a statement. “Democrats don’t need to engage in a handwringing exercise about last year’s elections when we’re winning this year’s elections, and are on the path to crushing Republicans in the midterms.”
