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Reid Slams DNC, Calls It 'Worthless' in Helping State Parties

December 22, 2016

Retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) lambasted the Democratic National Committee in a Nevada Public Radio interview on Wednesday, calling the organization "worthless."

A caller congratulated Reid for helping elect incoming Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D., Nev.) and then asked what he thought of the Democratic Party's prospects in 2018 for the Senate.

Reid responded that he and others proved in Nevada that the Koch Brothers could not buy the state, despite them saying they were going to "embarrass the Reid machine." Reid described how he had built a strong state party and knew they were not going to beat Cortez Masto.

The retiring lawmaker then discussed the future of the Democratic Party by criticizing the DNC and its lack of organization during the 2016 election cycle.

"The Democratic National Committee has been worthless," Reid said. "They do nothing to help state parties. That should be the main goal they have. I've developed everything in Nevada on my own. Their help was relatively meaningless."

Reid then opined on what the DNC should look for in the organization's next chairperson.

"I would hope that they will choose a chair of the Democratic Party who is a full-time person, not someone like we had with that congresswoman from Florida who was a full-time congressman and a part-time chair of the DNC," Reid said, referring to former DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a member of the House from Florida.

Wasserman Schultz was forced to resign from her position as DNC chair back in July after leaked emails released by WikiLeaks showed top DNC staffers actively favoring Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).

Reid also said that the DNC could use his own model if it wanted to better organize state parties.

"They can take my model if they want. It doesn't take a rocket scientist. It doesn't take a lot of brain power to figure out what needs to be done," Reid said. "They should take a few states every election cycle, maybe three or maybe four, and help them develop the infrastructure for good state party organization. That would change politics a lot in America, and I think it would help us mid-term."

The Huffington Post will be hosting a debate on Jan. 18 between the candidates vying to be the next DNC chair. The election will take place in February.