Ms. Williamson, 72, most likely faces long odds in her bid for party chair. A number of party officials, including the former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, are jostling for the job. The current chair, Jaime Harrison, is not seeking re-election. Ms. Williamson is the first woman to formally enter the race.

Author and former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson announced Thursday she’s running to lead the Democratic National Committee.

The race to lead the Democratic Party in the wake of Kamala Harris’s election defeat expanded on Thursday as author and two-time candidate Marianne Williamson announced that she was seeking the role.