Labor Secretary Perez to formally enter DNC race Thursday

WASHINGTON – Labor Secretary Tom Perez plans to officially announce his candidacy for the head of the Democratic National Committee on Thursday, according to Democrats familiar with his effort.

The Obama administration official will challenge early front-runner Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison for the chairmanship of the party’s national organization. He was encouraged to mount a bid by the White House.

The contest between Perez, who backed Hillary Clinton in the presidential race, and Ellison, a supporter of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, threatens to inflame lingering tensions from the primary race.

Perez, a Dominican-American who grew up in the Rust Belt, will argue that he can represent the Democratic Party’s diversity and be an effective salesman for an economic message aimed at regaining support among white, working-class voters.