President-elect Joe Biden plans to name Jaime Harrison to head the Democratic National Committee as he strives to keep a close relationship between his administration and the larger party, according to three people familiar with the decision.
The former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Harrison drew national attention and broke fundraising records in his unsuccessful campaign against Senator Lindsey Graham in November.
Incoming presidents generally name a new chair of their party. Harrison previously ran for national party chairman in 2017, but ultimately dropped out and endorsed current head Tom Perez.
With a narrow margin in the House and a tied Senate, Democrats are planning for a tough fight in the 2022 midterm elections. Biden is expected to work closely with the Democratic National Committee on that effort.