David Hogg, the 25-year-old progressive gun control advocate, will not run in the upcoming Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair re-election after the party voted to nullify the results of the February elections.
Following three days of voting, the DNC on Wednesday upheld a resolution from longtime Democratic activist Kalyn Free, calling for a new election for the two vice chair positions currently held by Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta. Free argued that the original vote did not adequately reflect the DNC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards for electing party officers. Hogg is white, Kenyatta is black; the latter is now the only candidate up for the vice-chair post.
The motion passed with 75% support among voters, while 25% opposed it. Overall, 89% of eligible DNC members participated in the vote. “The DNC will immediately move to administer new ballots for the final two Vice Chair positions, one of which must be held by a male and one of which may be held by a candidate of any gender,” said the DNC’s Deputy Press Secretary Nina Raneses.
Hogg’s decision to step aside follows weeks of internal party tensions, triggered by his pledge to direct $20 million toward primary challenges against incumbent Democratic lawmakers he views as insufficiently progressive. He accused establishment Democrats of being “asleep at the wheel” in addressing the party’s direction following former Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat.
DNC Chair Ken Martin publicly rebuked David Hogg for his decision and introduced a proposed rule change that would prohibit DNC officers from endorsing candidates in primary elections.
Earlier this week, Politico obtained audio from a May 15 Zoom meeting in which Martin accused Hogg of undermining his leadership and indicated he might consider stepping down if internal party divisions persist.
“No one knows who the hell I am, right? I’m trying to get my sea legs underneath of me and actually develop any amount of credibility so I can go out there and raise the money and do the job I need to to put ourselves in a position to win,” Martin said in the recording, which was obtained by Politico. “I don’t think you intended this,” Martin told Hogg. “But you essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to. So it’s really frustrating.”