Martin O’Malley, the former Maryland governor and commissioner of the Social Security Administration, on Monday became the first person to announce a bid to lead the Democratic National Committee as the party plots a post-election path forward.

The race for Democratic Party chair has officially launched with a onetime Maryland governor and unsuccessful presidential candidate Martin O'Malley announcing a bid to take the reins. O'Malley, who has faded from the national scene of late,

Mr. O’Malley, who ran for president in 2016, is the first candidate to announce a bid to lead the reeling Democratic Party as it faces two years of powerlessness in Washington.