The Democratic National Committee (DNC) provides national leadership for the United States Democratic Party. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Democratic political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. There are similar committees in every U.S. state and most U.S. counties (though in some states, Party organization lower than state-level is arranged by legislative districts). It can be considered the counterpart of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and their state and local organizations. Its current chairman is Terry McAuliffe.
The Democratic Party also has fundraising and strategy committees for U.S. House races (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee), U.S. Senate races (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee), gubernatorial races (Democratic Governors Association), and state legislative races (Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee).
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Factions of the Democratic Party
It should be noted defining the views of any “faction” of any political party is difficult at best, and that any attempt to apply labels within a single political party is no more effective than the application of broad labels to political parties as a whole. Keeping that in mind, there are several ideological groups widely recognized within the modern-day Democratic Party:
The New Democrats are a grouping of centrists, formally organized as the Democratic Leadership Council. Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Joe Lieberman have all been leaders in the organization, which became particularly prominent during and after Clinton’s 1992 campaign. The group was founded and continues to be led by Al From. Senator Evan Bayh, a possible 2008 presidential candidate, is the current chairman.
The Blue Dog Democrats are a congressional grouping of fiscal conservatives and moderates, primarily southerners, willing to compromise with the Republican leadership. They have acted as a unified voting bloc in the past, giving its thirty members some ability to change legislation. The name appears to be both a reference to several well-known Louisiana paintings featuring blue dogs, as well as a reference to the old “yellow dog” Democrats having been “choked blue.”
Clintonistas - Political journalists often speak of the political advisors and allies surrounding Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton as a kind of faction, though such individuals hardly have a unified ideological leaning. Though formally a New Democrat, Hillary is generally considered more liberal than the DLC.
"Deaniacs" - Howard Dean, a failed candidate for the party’s 2004 presidential nomination, emerged as a major player in the Democratic party and a leading opponent to the powerful New Democrats group. Founded his own group, Democracy for America, which succeeded his failed primary campaign Dean for America.
Southern Democrats - Socially conservative southern white Democrats, previously a key element in the Democratic coalition, are increasingly rare, many having been defeated, or opting not to run, in the 1994, 2002, and 2004 elections.
Organized labor - As a key source of political contributions, volunteers, and field organizing expertise, labor unions hold significant sway in the Democratic Party. Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt was a leading supporter of labor’s agenda in Congress.
African-American Leadership - African-Americans are members of many factions, however there is a Democratic African American leadership group which coalesces around the Congressional Black Caucus leadership and is generally considered liberal in outlook. Barak Obama and Jesse Jackson can be considered its most prominent new and old leaders respectively.
