WASHINGTON – David Hogg, who was at the center of controversy over his efforts to primary “out of touch, ineffective” incumbents in Congress, is leaving the Democratic National Committee after choosing not to run for reelection as vice chair.
In April, Hogg, 25, announced that his group Leaders We Deserve would pour $20 million to help fund young progressive candidates who will challenge incumbents in safe blue districts. But DNC chairman Ken Martin urged officers to remain neutral in primary elections, giving Hogg an ultimatum of resigning from the committee or divorcing himself from his organization.
The DNC on June 11 voted to redo the election that made Hogg and Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta vice chairs over a procedural squabble. However, Hogg wrote on X that he will not run for vice chair again and that his focus will be on Leaders We Deserve.
“We must change the culture of our party that has brought us here and if there is anything activism or history teaches us it’s that comfortable people, especially comfortable people with power, do not change,” he wrote.
Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, rose to prominence for participating in protests and marches against gun violence.
“I came into this role to play a positive role in creating the change our party needs. It is clear that there is a fundamental disagreement about the role of a Vice Chair — and it’s okay to have disagreements. What isn’t okay is allowing this to remain our focus when there is so much more we need to be focused on,” he added.
Martin wrote in a statement that while he still believes Hogg is a “powerful voice for this party,” he respects Hogg’s decision to step back from the committee.
Florida Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress at 28, wrote on X that he’s known Hogg for years and that Hogg cares about uplifting young candidates. “When almost no one believed in my campaign, he was there. I know he’ll continue to do good work,” Frost said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: David Hogg exits DNC after new vice chair election is called
