DNC finances chairman Muñoz steps down, replaced by Korge

Henry Muñoz, the longtime national finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is in charge of the position, he told POLITICO.

Muñoz, 59, is the first openly gay person and first Latino to hold the party's top finance role. The party committee raised more than $ 600 million while he was chairman, and he hosted or co-hosted more than 100 national fundraisers. The DNC has named Chris Korge, a Florida attorney who has been a top fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, as he's moving in to the full house in San Francisco in August.

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Korge is stepping into the middle of a fierce battle for the Republican National Committee with the 2020 presidential election looming. Boosted by President Donald Trump, the RNC has outraged the DNC by $ 173 million since January 2017, though the deficit did not prevent the Democratic Party from enjoying positive results in the 2018 midterm elections, after which the House of Representatives changed hands.

The DNC declined to be much more important for the 2020 election cycle. The most democratic presidential candidates are not accepting corporate PAC money, the DNC's host committee to the July 2020 convention in Milwaukee, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Muñoz co-founded the Latino Victory Project with actress Eva Longoria in 2014 to promote Latino candidates for office, and he said he will continue engaging Latinos and raising money for 2020 –

"2020 will be the one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, and I'm energized as ever to keep working with the DNC and Latinx advocates of the country to ensure we soundly defeat Donald Trump Muñoz said in a statement.

DNC Chairman Tom Perez said in a statement that he was grateful for his work and his leadership, "We have revitalized our party, rebuilt Democratic infrastructure, and made historic gains in the 2018 midterm elections. … While we are sad to see him step down from the position of Finance Chair, we are thrilled his dedication to the Democratic Party will continue. "

Perez named Muñoz to DNC at large member and finance chairman emeritus in response to his retirement agreement. Longoria also praised Muñoz in a statement.

"As my own political mentor," said Longoria said. "I have no doubt, as he moves to his next endeavor, he will continue to help this Latino mobilization movement he has created."

Korge, who lives in Miami, most recently was a key member of the finance team for Andrew Gillum's unsuccessful Florida gubernatorial campaign.

Train Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a veteran fundraiser who has been chaired by the DNC and has known Korge for more than 30 years, praised the move, saying "Democrats on all levels of the country will benefit from his leadership."

Gillum, who came away from the Democratic Gubernatorial in the general election, added that Korge's appointment would put the DNC's finances in "excellent hands."

"Gillum said in a statement. "Chris Korge's support was instrumental during our 2018 campaign."