Rufus Gifford, a former deputy campaign manager for President Joe Biden, expressed concerns on Monday about the challenges facing Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Ken Martin as the midterm elections approach. In a Substack article, Gifford, who was the DNC finance director during Barack Obama’s presidency, highlighted the committee’s struggle to raise funds and publicize its message. He attributed these issues to Martin’s lack of communication, which contrasts with his predecessors.

Gifford noted the collaborative efforts in the past, citing the frequent calls he received from people like Jim Messina and Jen O’Malley Dillon for support on special projects. These efforts, according to Gifford, were successful due to strong relationships built over time. He pointed out that current requests for funding, expected to be numerous in the fall, could not be answered affirmatively. Gifford stated this has been an anticipated failure for over a year.

“At this point, I think there is no saving Martin’s chairmanship,” Gifford wrote. “He is a good man with good intentions but simply not meeting this critical moment.”

Gifford’s article came after it was reported that the DNC is burdened with considerable debt. He emphasized the need for the Democratic Party to recognize and address the issues, fostering unity by engaging voices from both new and traditional members.

In response, a DNC official referenced Martin’s recent Substack article, where Martin claimed that the DNC has raised the most funds in its history without having the White House’s support. Martin expressed confidence that the Democratic Party is prepared to win in upcoming elections at multiple levels.

Reports of financial distress and internal conflicts within the DNC have continued. Notably, the New York Times reported that Martin faced a formal HR complaint after allegedly throwing his phone at an aide’s desk. Federal Election Commission data showed that the DNC had $16.3 million in cash and $18.5 million in debt by the end of June, in contrast to the Republican National Committee’s $128.5 million in cash and no debt.