Democrats elected former Labor Secretary Tom Perez as their new national chairman on Saturday over Rep. Keith Ellison, a liberal Minnesota congressman, after a divisive campaign that reflected the depths of the party’s electoral failures. Perez Elected DNC Chairman on Second Ballot Democrats elected former Labor Secretary Tom Perez as their new national chairman on Saturday over Rep. Keith Ellison, a liberal Minnesota congressman, after a divisive campaign that reflected the depths of the party’s electoral failures.