Marianne Williamson, remembered by many as the new-age self-help guru and hardly-serious contender for the presidential nomination, has once again taken a tilt at the windmill by throwing her hat into the ring for the chair of the Democratic National Committee. A minor celebrity in some circles thanks to her spiritual guidance provided to Oprah Winfrey, she seems to be under the illusion that her voice can counter the appeal of real leadership. Williamson, age 72, is facing an uphill struggle on a steep slope; her aspiration seems more like a pipe dream as prominent party members compete for the same role.
The current chair, Jaime Harrison, has decided not to run for re-election, leaving a vacuum of leadership – a common theme in Democratic politics of late. A cast of veteran politicians are vying for the position, including former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley. These heavyweights mark Williamson’s journey to be a profoundly improbable one, a theme consistent with her past political endeavours.
Claiming a first, Williamson is the initial woman to officially enter the race. This fits with the Democratic playbook of valuing identity politics over genuine competence. Williamson attributes the dismal success of the Democratic Party in the November elections to what she describes as an ‘insider-club mentality.’ Interestingly, she doesn’t seem to understand that it’s not the club that’s the issue but the policies and politicians it supports.
Her pitch includes an instinctive solution to the Democratic Party’s alleged ‘resistance to outsiders.’ If successful, Williamson plans to embark on a national listening tour to discover voters’ economic struggles directly. She has boldly criticised the Party, claiming it needs to step down from its ‘arrogant, elite pedestal,’ and communicate sincerely with the American populace.
Williamson has previously made headlines by endorsing controversial progressive causes like reparations for slavery and suggesting a U.S. Department of Peace. Her views, while attractive to a small subset of far-left Democrats, remain deeply disconnected from mainstream American values. In her 2020 primary bid, her strange ideas sparked viral debate moments but her campaign barely lasted until the New Hampshire primary.
Earlier this year, Williamson suspended her second fairytale run for presidency after falling to an embarrassing third place, trailing President Biden in Nevada’s Democratic primary elections. She finished behind ‘none of these candidates’ – a clear demonstration of the voter’s confidence in her leadership. But far from accepting the will of the people, Williamson hinted at challenging Vice President Kamala Harris’s nomination before Biden dropped out.
The next Democratic National Committee chair will be decided by the party’s 448 committee members scheduled to vote on February 1st. The pool of nominees is quite diverse, very few of whom share Williamson’s fringe viewpoints. Candidates still in the ring include Nate Snyder, a former functionary in the Department of Homeland Security under Biden and President Obama, and Ken Martin, current head of the Minnesota Democratic Party.
Others in consideration are Ben Wikler, the Democratic Party chair for Wisconsin, and State Senator James Skoufis of New York. However, Skoufis was quick to brush off Williamson’s candidacy, commenting with a trenchant eloquence befitting the situation. ‘Party revival can’t rely on new-age spiritual intervention,’ Skoufis stated. ‘It requires leaders who can actually secure election victories.’