Minnesota DFL State Party Chair Ken Martin announced he’s entering the race for Democratic National Committee chair.

Martin has been Minnesota’s state party leader since 2011 — the longest-serving chair in state history going back more than 75 years.

“The DNC needs to hit the pavement, get out of DC for a bit, and go to the states—to listen, reconnect with the voters, and restore a strong and resilient party,” Martin said. “My motto is build to win, build to expand, build to last. That’s what I’ve already done in Minnesota, and it’s what I plan to do at the DNC, given the opportunity.”

The current DNC Chair is stepping down at the end of their term.

More than 400 DNC members will vote to pick a new chair early next year.

“He’ll be a front runner, to be the new chair, not a guarantee, but a front runner,” said Larry Jacobs of the University of Minnesota, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. “He’s built up a lot of relationships around the country; he’s got the endorsements of about a fifth of DNC membership.”

Democrats lost the White House and the U.S. Senate this election cycle and maintained their lead in the U.S. House. “I think Ken Martin would be inheriting a fixer-upper — the democratic party got walloped in this election,” Jacobs said.

“The fact that he’s from flyover country, not from California, not from the East Coast, may also help his candidacy because that’s where the democratic party is having real problems,” said Steven Schier, a political analyst from Carleton College.

Democrats are looking for someone who can unite the party, fundraise, and find candidates who can win — something Schier said Martin has helped to do in Minnesota. “I think national democrats are looking for someone who can execute that formula,” Schier said.

Former Maryland Governor and presidential candidate Martin O’Malley announced he’s also running for DNC chair. Political observers expect other candidates to enter the race, including some with national name recognition, leading up to the vote expected in February.