Today, Ben Wikler released the following statement after the results of the Democratic National Committee Chair election.

“I want to thank my supporters, from the bottom of my heart, for giving their all to this campaign, and to congratulate Ken Martin on his victory.

“While the vote didn’t go the way I hoped, I’m grateful that our whole party has embraced the vision and the values that our campaign lifted up. It’s time to fight for working people, across race and ethnicity, in every corner of the country; to build a permanent campaign that organizes and communicates year-round, in every place and on every platform.

“I’m deeply proud of the race that we ran, of the way we united so many parts of the party—from unions to elected leaders to the grassroots—and of the work of an extraordinary team and dedicated volunteers. Going forward, I urge everyone who supported me to join me in working with Chair Martin to ensure that the Democratic Party rises to this moment of crisis in our country.

“For all those who poured themselves into the campaign, we have another critical fight ahead. Wisconsin’s April 1 state Supreme Court race will determine the future of abortion access, union rights, freedom, and democracy in the Badger State. Let’s take a breath and get back to work.”