Democratic National Committee vice chair David Hogg is leaving the organization after months of turmoil within the party’s top ranks, multiple outlets reported Wednesday evening.
The 25-year-old political newcomer’s decision to step back from party leadership comes after members voted to hold a redo of his vice chair election this week.
The results, obtained by NOTUS, showed DNC members voted to call new elections for two vice chair seats 294-99, with 89% of DNC members casting a ballot. An updated rules procedure for vice chair elections was also approved 366-25.
While Hogg could have run again for his seat — competing against the other ousted chair, Malcolm Kenyatta — the New York Times and Washington Post confirmed that Hogg has chosen not to. Kenyatta is now the only candidate for the first chair, per Semafor’s David Weigel, and the three women who lost to Hogg in February will compete for the second seat.
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In a letter obtained by the Times, Hogg wrote, “It is clear that there is a fundamental disagreement about the role of a Vice Chair — and it’s OK to have disagreements. What isn’t OK is allowing this to remain our focus when there is so much more we need to be focused on.”
“Ultimately, I have decided to not run in this upcoming election so the party can focus on what really matters,” Hogg wrote.
Hogg has sparred with his colleagues in recent weeks, sparking tensions that spilled over into public view. After he was named vice chair, Hogg’s progressive group Leaders We Deserve announced a $20 million dollar effort to primary safe House Democrats — against the wishes of party leadership, which typically stays out of primaries and wades back in for the general election to support candidates.
The DNC, angered by the effort, introduced a proposal shortly after the announcement that would require national Democratic officials to pledge neutrality in all primaries. Hogg’s compromise, to create an internal firewall between him and DNC materials on races his group was involved with, was sharply rebuffed and critiqued.
Tensions were lit again on Sunday, after a leaked DNC call first reported by Politico showed DNC Chair Ken Martin addressing Hogg, telling him, “You essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to.”
He added: “For the first time in my 100 days on this job … the other night I said to myself for the first time, I don’t know if I wanna do this anymore.”
On Tuesday, Hogg waded back into the drama when Leaders We Deserve endorsed in a Virginia Democratic primary to fill the seat of late Rep. Gerry Connolly.
Independent of these conflicts, a DNC panel in May recommended a new election be held for Hogg’s and Kenyatta’s roles after a procedural complaint was filed.
While unrelated to Hogg’s tensions with DNC leadership, the filing ultimately opened the door to oust him.
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Nuha Dolby is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.
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