The Washington Examiner’s Byron York suggested that leaked audio from Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin showcases how he is dealing with “the rot inside the party” ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Martin participated in a Zoom meeting last month, in which he vented his frustrations with Vice Chairman David Hogg’s role in the party and its leadership, adding, “I don’t know if I want to do this anymore.” York, the chief political correspondent at the Washington Examiner, argued Martin’s tone in the call reflects how “completely lost” the party currently is as it undergoes internal conflict.

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“And what you just heard was a Zoom call that they had in May in which the new chairman of the DNC was crying, and saying that they were undermining him, and he didn’t really know if he wanted to do this job,” York stated on Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle. “So if you’re a Democrat looking for a leader, what are you gonna think now?”

York further explained that Martin was previously the chairman of Minnesota’s Democratic Party for 14 years, meaning he “should” be able to fulfill his new duty as DNC chairman. The DNC is currently conducting a vote on whether or not to oust Hogg as vice chairman, but Martin has “already revealed” the frustrations happening within the party ahead of this vote.

The Democratic Party’s complications come as riots continue against Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s efforts in Los Angeles. Democrats have chosen to work against ICE, “the wrong side of something big again,” according to Byron. Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, York predicted similar riots “well could” take place in cities under Democratic control.

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Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley has suggested that the “radical” control of the Democratic Party will continue not to appeal to voters, adding that the party could gain “some traction” if it quits its infighting. He also argued that his party could try to appeal to 13 Democrat-controlled districts Trump carried in 2024, as these voters are looking for “a commonsense, America First agenda.”

The DNC’s vote to potentially oust Hogg began on Monday and will conclude on Wednesday. Amid this vote, it has launched a daily show that will air on YouTube, aiming to present itself as the party’s “go-to spot” for truth and how viewers can actively support Democratic efforts.