Democrat strategist James Carville told Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chairman David Hogg during a podcast Wednesday that his attempt to take down fellow Democrat candidates is “jackassery of the highest level.”
The DNC vice chairman announced plans in April to help unseat certain Democrat members of Congress in the 2026 primary elections, spending millions to support younger candidates. During a debate on “The Tara Palmeri Show,” the host asked Carville about his public criticism of Hogg’s plans, highlighting the strategist’s suggestion that members of the DNC should sue Hogg.
“Let me be very specific. I think it is abominable that an official of a political party who is being paid or supported by that political party to go out and raise money to defeat members of the same party. I think that’s a jackassery of the highest level,” Carville said.
“If you want to beat Republicans, which, of course, lefties never do, they never even run against them. That’s one thing. I’m not into beating Democrats. I’m into beating Republicans,” Carville added.
Since President Donald Trump’s win in November 2024, Democrats have appeared to struggle getting behind a singular message and party leader ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. According to a March CNN/SSRS poll, the party hit their lowest favorability rating of 29%, dropping 20 points since January 2021. (RELATED: Democrats Beat David Hogg Into Six-Figure Ransom Payment After He Tried To Destroy Party From Within)
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Hogg countered Carville, saying that in the last cycle, his organization helped “break the majority for Democrats to have a one-seat majority in the Virginia state legislature by spending $100,000.” He also talked about money spent on “frontline races critical to helping break majorities in states around the country,” and asked Carville if he believes House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is doing a “relatively good job.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter that I think he is. I think he’s doing fine, but the caucus thinks he is. I was invited to speak to the caucus, I don’t know, five or six weeks ago,” Carville said. “My job, I think about to the extent I have one, is to beat Republicans. I just will tell you right to your face, I think it’s abominable that you have anything to do with the DNC and you’re gonna go and raise $20 million to beat other Democrats.”
“I don’t think other Democrats are the problem we have in the United States today,” Carville said. “I think it’s Republicans. I think all of our efforts and all of our force should be going to elect [Democrats].”
According to a Harvard Youth Poll released on April 23, Congressional Democrats hit new lows among young voters. The 50th edition of the poll shows that only 23% of young respondents approve of Democratic congressional lawmakers, dropping 19 points since 2017.
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