International Desk: Republicans claimed that Perez's victory is an indication of just how much the Democrats have lost touch with the American people.
After the vote, Trump offered what appeared to be a tongue-in-cheek congratulations to Perez.
“I could not be happier for him, or for the Republican Party!” the president wrote on Twitter.
Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement that “by selecting a DC insider, Democrats only create deeper divisions within their own party by pushing a far left agenda that rejects a majority of their base outside Washington.”
During a debate with several DNC candidates late Wednesday, Perez said Democrats needed to “get back to basics” by making house calls in all 50 states and establishing a year-round organizing presence to remind American workers that the Democratic Party represents their values and interests.
“When we lead with our message, our message of economic opportunity, that's how we win,” he said.
Perez also warned that Democrats must reform their party's presidential primary system, which he said has created “a crisis of confidence” because of its lack of transparency.
He and other candidates, well aware that Democrats lost ground to Republicans in state house and governor races, stressed the need to seed the party with new, young talent.
