MADISON, Wis. — Could the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin be in the running to lead the national party? That’s what some political insiders are now speculating as Ben Wikler is reportedly considering a run for the position early next year.

WisPolitics has reported that a source close to Wikler said he will decide whether to run for the national leadership position sometime after Thanksgiving.

Wikler is hardly shy but when it comes to this topic, he has been silent so far. He became chair of the state party in 2019 and could be a contender at the national level for a lot of reasons.

Even though President-elect Donald Trump won Wisconsin in November, he only did so by 0.9% which resulted in the Badger State giving up the least ground of all the swing states while Democrat Tammy Baldwin narrowly hung on to her Senate seat.

From statewide offices like governor to Supreme Court justice, Wisconsin’s Democratic Party has seen success. Most recently, flipping 14 Senate and Assembly seats from red to blue and breaking the 22-seat supermajority Republicans held in the Senate, which gives Democrats the chance to win a majority in that chamber in 2026.

According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, the state’s Democratic Party also outraised the state’s Republican Party by more than 10 times in the first six months of 2024—all things that could help Wikler win if he runs.

So far, Minnesota Dem Party Chair Ken Martin and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley have both officially entered the race for national party chair.

The election for top leadership positions within the Democratic Party, including chair, will be held on Feb. 1.

If Wikler were to run and be elected, he would be the first DNC chair from Wisconsin, at least in modern political history.