Lee Saunders, the president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, stepped down from his post at the Democratic National Committee on Sunday, becoming the second union leader to resign from the committee.
In a letter obtained by The Hill, Saunders informed DNC Chair Ken Martin that he would decline his reappointment as an at-large member of the committee.
“This moment demands unwavering focus, discipline, and clarity,” Saunders wrote. “It demands that we devote every ounce of our energy to defending our members, protecting our collective bargaining rights and making sure that all workers know we are in their corner and we are fighting.”
The union led by Saunders represents over 1.3 million public sector employees and retirees.
Saunders’ letter comes after the American Federation of Teachers Union President Randi Weingarten informed DNC Chair Ken Martin of her decision to step down from her post in a letter dated June 5.
Saunders and Weingarten both endorsed former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler in his race against Martin for DNC Chair.
The exits come as Martin has had to grapple with internal divisions at the DNC being laid bare in recent weeks. Former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg has been vocally critical of the party’s leadership, writing in a post on X last week that the party’s leaders have been “asleep at the wheel.”
Hogg faced backlash from many Democrats including within the DNC for launching an organization that would primary incumbent House Democrats in an effort to bring about generational change within the party.
Hogg said he would not be vying for his spot as vice chair in the DNC after an overwhelming majority of DNC committee members voted to redo the vice chair elections of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who was elected again to the post on Saturday.
