The West Virginia Democratic Party recently announced that Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin will serve as the keynote speaker at the 2026 Roosevelt-Kennedy Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Charleston.
Martin will be the first sitting Chair of the Democratic National Committee to deliver the keynote address at the annual Roosevelt-Kennedy Dinner, marking a historic occasion for West Virginia Democrats as they head into the final weeks of the 2026 election.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Ken Martin to West Virginia,” said West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin. “Ken understands something that West Virginia Democrats have been saying for years: Democrats cannot write off any state, any county, or any community. If we’re going to rebuild this party from the ground up, we have to show up, organize everywhere, and give state parties the resources they need to compete.”
Since becoming DNC Chair in February 2025, Martin has made rebuilding Democratic strength at the state and local level a centerpiece of his leadership. His “Organize Everywhere, Win Anywhere” strategy has emphasized year-round organizing, competing at every level of the ballot, and investing in Democratic infrastructure in red, blue, and purple states alike.
That strategy has been accompanied by a remarkable run of Democratic victories and overperformances across the country, including flipping 31 state legislative seats from red to blue since the beginning of 2025. Democrats have flipped Republican-held seats, broken GOP legislative supermajorities, and significantly outperformed previous Democratic margins in races from deeply Republican districts to traditional battlegrounds.
“Under Ken Martin’s leadership, Democrats aren’t waiting for presidential election years to organize,” Pushkin said. “We’re contesting races everywhere, winning races people said couldn’t be won, and demonstrating that when Democrats show up and fight for working people, voters respond.”
Martin has also backed that commitment with resources. The DNC and Association of State Democratic Committees launched the largest sustained investment in state Democratic parties in the party’s history, committing $17,500 per month to each Democratic state and territorial party. Republican-controlled states receive an additional $5,000 a month in support through the DNC’s Red State Fund.
For West Virginia Democrats, Martin’s decision to come to Charleston carries particular significance.
“For too long, national politics has treated states like West Virginia as places Democrats should simply surrender,” Pushkin said. “Ken Martin rejects that thinking. He knows that there is no such thing as a permanently red state, and he understands that rebuilding Democratic strength starts with investing in state parties, recruiting good candidates, organizing in communities, and earning voters’ trust one conversation at a time.”
Before becoming DNC Chair, Martin led Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party from 2011 to 2025. During his tenure, Minnesota Democrats compiled a 25-0 record in statewide elections, while Martin also became a leading national advocate for stronger state Democratic parties.
The Roosevelt-Kennedy Dinner is the West Virginia Democratic Party’s premier annual gathering, bringing together Democratic elected officials, candidates, party leaders, activists, labor leaders, and supporters from across the Mountain State.
This year’s dinner comes exactly one month before the November 2026 general election and will serve as a major rallying point for Democratic candidates and supporters heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
Tickets for the Oct. 3 Roosevelt-Kennedy Dinner will go on sale soon. Democrats and supporters interested in attending should watch the West Virginia Democratic Party website at https://www.wvdemocrats.com/ for ticket information and additional announcements.
