Teachers Union Leader Randi Weingarten Resigns from Democratic National Committee
“I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging,” she wrote in a letter to DNC Chair Ken Martin.
In a significant move that underscores ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, has stepped down from her role in the Democratic National Committee after more than two decades of service.
Weingarten submitted a resignation letter to DNC Chair Ken Martin, citing deep concerns with the direction of the party’s leadership.
“I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging,” Weingarten wrote in the letter dated June 5. “I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more of our communities.”
Her departure comes amid growing signs of internal friction within the Democratic ranks. Weingarten had recently defended former DNC vice chair David Hogg, who was removed from his role after endorsing primary challenges against sitting Democrats in safe-blue districts—moves that sparked backlash from party leaders. Hogg has argued these challenges are essential for revitalizing the party’s vision and holding underperforming incumbents accountable.
Weingarten also supported Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler in the DNC leadership election earlier this year. After Ken Martin assumed leadership, he removed Weingarten from her long-held position on the influential rules and bylaws committee, where she had served since 2009.
A spokesperson for Weingarten shared that her announcement was met with applause from members of the AFT—an unexpected reaction for someone who has long championed the Democratic cause.
Martin himself has faced internal criticism, particularly following a private conversation with DNC officers in which he expressed frustration with the party’s internal strife, reportedly saying he wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue in his role.
While some party officials have rallied behind Martin and dismissed Hogg as a divisive figure, others see these recent events as part of a broader struggle to redefine the party’s identity and strengthen its grassroots connections following the setbacks of the 2024 election.
As the Democratic Party looks to regroup and chart a new path forward, Weingarten’s resignation signals that the debate over who should lead—and how—remains far from settled.
Perhaps it is time to form a new party, “WE THE PEOPLE”!
Well done, she must be over the retirement age. It should be a limit of how long someone is allowed to work, this is absolutely ridiculous to have these people working until they fall down, hired in government positions. It is cruel, imoral and damaging to the country. A new generation should be allowed to take over, serving between 35 -75, with a limit of 10 years over the retirement age, from any work, government or otherwise.