David Hogg Proposed a Compromise to the DNC, But Was Rejected.
The 25-year-old vice chair's strategy to target "asleep-at-the-wheel" Democrats has caused unease within the party.
TroibNews 
David Hogg, a Democratic National Committee (DNC) official, has stirred significant controversy within the party due to his commitment to funding primary challenges against “asleep-at-the-wheel” Democrats. In recent days, he suggested a compromise to DNC Chair Ken Martin, proposing that he remain as vice chair while being restricted from accessing internal DNC information related to congressional and state legislative races while supporting challengers, according to three anonymous sources familiar with their discussions.
However, Martin rejected the proposal, conveying his confidence in securing the necessary votes within the DNC to implement a rule mandating party officials to maintain neutrality in primaries, effectively compelling Hogg to choose between abandoning his primary initiative or resigning.
Jane Kleeb, a DNC vice chair and ally of Martin, also discussed Hogg’s idea, dismissing it as “nonsense” and contending that “it is not the DNC’s job to create a firewall for one officer — it is the officer's responsibility to create a firewall.”
The dialogue between Hogg and the DNC leadership underscores the rising tension following his announcement that Leaders We Deserve, a group he co-founded, plans to invest $20 million in safe-blue Democratic primaries against incumbent House members. Martin has issued an ultimatum, telling reporters that party officials “can’t be both the referee and also the player at the same time.”
Martin told PMG that “party bosses should not be involved in putting their thumb on the scale” and reiterated that he “campaigned on this.” Hogg, meanwhile, defended his position in an interview, stating that the DNC “doesn't really have a role in congressional races, and therefore there shouldn't be an issue or real conflict.”
Despite the backlash from many establishment Democrats, Hogg is proactively engaging with grassroots supporters and making efforts to win over Democratic activists. The 25-year-old survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting recently attended a fundraiser for Rhode Island Democrats, contributing $100,000 to the House Democrats’ campaign arm. Behind the scenes, he is working to build alliances with progressive activists and operatives, finding some success.
Hogg's actions have angered a segment of establishment Democrats, but he has also garnered support from progressive leaders, labor officials, and influential media figures who appreciate his more aggressive stance in the current political climate.
Influential radio host Charlamagne tha God has publicly supported Hogg, stating, “He is absolutely right — I don't know why people are acting like he's not,” and asserting that Democrats “who aren't willing to fight for democracy in the way that it needs to be fought for, they need to be banished.”
James Carville, a veteran Democratic strategist who had previously criticized Hogg, shifted his position and affirmed on social media that the “DNC needs him” because “David Hogg fights.” After a podcast appearance with Carville, Hogg expressed his admiration for Carville's work and interest in further collaboration, which led to Carville eventually taking Hogg's side.
During a recent fundraiser for the Rhode Island Democratic Party, Hogg emphasized the need to present Democrats not just as “the less bad of two options” but rather “the best fucking option,” as captured in a video shared with PMG. He addressed the ongoing internal conflict with the party, noting, “I know that right now there is a movement to try to remove me from the DNC,” which elicited boos from the crowd in a display of support for him.
Hogg's efforts to challenge incumbents and the ensuing controversy have highlighted significant divisions within the Democratic Party as they attempt to reorganize in a post-Trump landscape. The ongoing conflict may extend for months, drawing attention to the party’s internal struggles regarding generational change and their strategies to confront Trump.
Martin has explained that Hogg’s ultimatum—which involves amending party bylaws to prohibit DNC officers from participating in primary contests—is not specifically targeting him but is part of broader reforms. Nevertheless, it would effectively compel Hogg to choose between his role as vice chair and distancing himself from the primaries initiated by Leaders We Deserve. This proposed change is expected to be voted on this summer.
Some of Hogg’s allies have expressed doubt regarding his ability to oppose Martin’s proposal. Jeanna Repass, chair of the Kansas Democratic Party, commented, “Unfortunately, I do think it’ll pass,” suggesting that Hogg should be allowed to continue his work because it seems unfair to “bully out a young Dem who's trying to be a change agent.”
Kleeb relayed her own experiences as a Bernie Sanders supporter during the 2016 primary, emphasizing that the DNC’s influence in that election—highlighted by leaked emails denigrating Sanders—was the issue they are now seeking to rectify. She asserted, “No quote-unquote charm offensive or media appearance of David will change the fundamental fact of what we are trying to do at the DNC.”
Stuart Appelbaum, a DNC associate chair, mentioned that he and all other DNC officers—except Hogg—had signed a “neutrality policy” at a recent party retreat, which he felt represented a significant shift for him. He stated that it is imperative for the Democratic Party to be perceived as impartial.
However, Hogg remains steadfast. He declared his refusal to detach himself from his group’s primary efforts if the proposed neutrality rule is enacted. “If that's the rule that they implement, then they're going to have to vote me out if that's what they want,” he stated. “I would prefer that we come to a deal here.”
Hogg’s group plans to target House Democrats in multiple districts, with estimates ranging from 10 to 50. Following his participation in the Rhode Island fundraiser, Hogg met with progressive legislators and activists to discuss potential primary challenges, as revealed by an insider. Upon inquiring about the conversations, Hogg specified that Rhode Island is “not currently” on his group's target list but added, “I can't write any state off at this point, because we're looking at all the districts around the country.”
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
However, Martin rejected the proposal, conveying his confidence in securing the necessary votes within the DNC to implement a rule mandating party officials to maintain neutrality in primaries, effectively compelling Hogg to choose between abandoning his primary initiative or resigning.
Jane Kleeb, a DNC vice chair and ally of Martin, also discussed Hogg’s idea, dismissing it as “nonsense” and contending that “it is not the DNC’s job to create a firewall for one officer — it is the officer's responsibility to create a firewall.”
The dialogue between Hogg and the DNC leadership underscores the rising tension following his announcement that Leaders We Deserve, a group he co-founded, plans to invest $20 million in safe-blue Democratic primaries against incumbent House members. Martin has issued an ultimatum, telling reporters that party officials “can’t be both the referee and also the player at the same time.”
Martin told PMG that “party bosses should not be involved in putting their thumb on the scale” and reiterated that he “campaigned on this.” Hogg, meanwhile, defended his position in an interview, stating that the DNC “doesn't really have a role in congressional races, and therefore there shouldn't be an issue or real conflict.”
Despite the backlash from many establishment Democrats, Hogg is proactively engaging with grassroots supporters and making efforts to win over Democratic activists. The 25-year-old survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting recently attended a fundraiser for Rhode Island Democrats, contributing $100,000 to the House Democrats’ campaign arm. Behind the scenes, he is working to build alliances with progressive activists and operatives, finding some success.
Hogg's actions have angered a segment of establishment Democrats, but he has also garnered support from progressive leaders, labor officials, and influential media figures who appreciate his more aggressive stance in the current political climate.
Influential radio host Charlamagne tha God has publicly supported Hogg, stating, “He is absolutely right — I don't know why people are acting like he's not,” and asserting that Democrats “who aren't willing to fight for democracy in the way that it needs to be fought for, they need to be banished.”
James Carville, a veteran Democratic strategist who had previously criticized Hogg, shifted his position and affirmed on social media that the “DNC needs him” because “David Hogg fights.” After a podcast appearance with Carville, Hogg expressed his admiration for Carville's work and interest in further collaboration, which led to Carville eventually taking Hogg's side.
During a recent fundraiser for the Rhode Island Democratic Party, Hogg emphasized the need to present Democrats not just as “the less bad of two options” but rather “the best fucking option,” as captured in a video shared with PMG. He addressed the ongoing internal conflict with the party, noting, “I know that right now there is a movement to try to remove me from the DNC,” which elicited boos from the crowd in a display of support for him.
Hogg's efforts to challenge incumbents and the ensuing controversy have highlighted significant divisions within the Democratic Party as they attempt to reorganize in a post-Trump landscape. The ongoing conflict may extend for months, drawing attention to the party’s internal struggles regarding generational change and their strategies to confront Trump.
Martin has explained that Hogg’s ultimatum—which involves amending party bylaws to prohibit DNC officers from participating in primary contests—is not specifically targeting him but is part of broader reforms. Nevertheless, it would effectively compel Hogg to choose between his role as vice chair and distancing himself from the primaries initiated by Leaders We Deserve. This proposed change is expected to be voted on this summer.
Some of Hogg’s allies have expressed doubt regarding his ability to oppose Martin’s proposal. Jeanna Repass, chair of the Kansas Democratic Party, commented, “Unfortunately, I do think it’ll pass,” suggesting that Hogg should be allowed to continue his work because it seems unfair to “bully out a young Dem who's trying to be a change agent.”
Kleeb relayed her own experiences as a Bernie Sanders supporter during the 2016 primary, emphasizing that the DNC’s influence in that election—highlighted by leaked emails denigrating Sanders—was the issue they are now seeking to rectify. She asserted, “No quote-unquote charm offensive or media appearance of David will change the fundamental fact of what we are trying to do at the DNC.”
Stuart Appelbaum, a DNC associate chair, mentioned that he and all other DNC officers—except Hogg—had signed a “neutrality policy” at a recent party retreat, which he felt represented a significant shift for him. He stated that it is imperative for the Democratic Party to be perceived as impartial.
However, Hogg remains steadfast. He declared his refusal to detach himself from his group’s primary efforts if the proposed neutrality rule is enacted. “If that's the rule that they implement, then they're going to have to vote me out if that's what they want,” he stated. “I would prefer that we come to a deal here.”
Hogg’s group plans to target House Democrats in multiple districts, with estimates ranging from 10 to 50. Following his participation in the Rhode Island fundraiser, Hogg met with progressive legislators and activists to discuss potential primary challenges, as revealed by an insider. Upon inquiring about the conversations, Hogg specified that Rhode Island is “not currently” on his group's target list but added, “I can't write any state off at this point, because we're looking at all the districts around the country.”
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
