David Hogg's Controversial Time at DNC Is Over

David Hogg, the 25-year-old activist who stirred controversy within the Democratic National Committee over his plans to challenge party incumbents, has announced his resignation as vice chair after weeks of internal strife and a forced re-election vote. Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, had been planning to use his outside group, Leaders We Deserve, to fund primary challenges against sitting Democratic lawmakers, reports the New York Times. He said he aimed to raise up to $20 million to push for "generational change" within the party, per the Times.

Hogg's moves drew criticism from party officials, with the Hill reporting earlier this week that frustration with him had reached a "boiling point." DNC chairman Ken Martin had tried to bar Hogg from engaging in primaries and pushed for new bylaws to prevent party leaders from such involvement. Hogg was the only officer who refused to sign a neutrality pledge regarding primaries. The situation was further complicated by a leaked audio recording from a DNC meeting, for which multiple officials blamed Hogg. A complaint about the February election that initially seated Hogg and another vice chair, Malcolm Kenyatta, led to the call for a new vote. Hogg, citing ongoing disagreements and a desire to avoid further distraction, chose not to run again.

"It's clear that there is a fundamental disagreement about the role of a Vice Chair," he wrote in his resignation letter, adding that the party should focus on more important matters. Party leaders, including Martin, expressed respect for Hogg's decision. Kenyatta is now running unopposed for the male vice chair role, with new elections beginning Thursday, per Politico. Hogg's outside group endorsed a candidate in a Virginia Democratic primary earlier this week but has not yet targeted any incumbents. The episode illustrates the internal divisions at the DNC as it tries to regroup ahead of the next election cycle. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)