Ken Martin

We have to build that infrastructure.

We have to flex that muscle early of having conversations with voters so that we actually position ourselves to win.

Now, are you criticizing me for spending money early?

Because that seems to be what the thing is.

And guess what?

It's not outrunning our costs, Jan, because we're able to make these investments all throughout the country.

And race after race in our in our state party infrastructure, in our local party infrastructure.

You know, if we weren't able to keep up in terms of building out this infrastructure, then there would be a problem.

We won over 90 percent of the elections on the ballot and most of them, if not all of them, we had a direct involvement in.

And I just say this to you, John, because, you know, it was a bet we made.

And I get it.

You know, again, all the folks in D.C., what they seem obsessed about and they spend a lot of time thinking about is how much money do people have on hand versus actually what are you doing to build out the infrastructure to win?

And what is the role of a political party, John?

At the end of the day, our job is to build infrastructure that our candidates can tap into to do the things that... Isn't the most important job of a DNC chair to go and raise money?

The job of a DNC chair...

No, the job of the DNC chair is singular.

It's to win.

And guess what I've been doing the last year and a half?

Win.

And guess what I did for 14 years in a very purple state?