Latest news with #LeadersWeDeserve
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hogg says he would work with DNC in future despite ‘double standard'
Former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg said on Wednesday that he is willing to work with the committee despite his June departure, which he characterized as a 'double standard.' 'There's obviously disagreements that we have at the end of the day, but I think that we all still have good relationships,' Hogg told The Hill's Julia Manchester at the Hill Nation Summit. 'I still have, you know, enormous respect for all my fellow vice chairs, the other officers of the DNC.' The progressive activist, who called for primary challenges against Democratic incumbents with the help of his leadership PAC Leaders We Deserve, left the DNC in June after deciding not to run after his election was vacated over a procedural rule about gender diversity. On Wednesday, Hogg called this out as a 'double standard that was selectively enforced.' 'I would argue that what I'm doing is not that different from someone having a leadership PAC that gives against an incumbent,' he added, noting he had no access to donor or voter data that would pose a conflict with his PAC. Hogg, in conversation with Manchester, went on to state that the party, in his view, lacks the 'courage to do bold things' and support for 'competition.' 'I think I will be vindicated in four years,' he added about his departure from the DNC. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Hogg offers new details on battle with DNC
Democratic activist David Hogg shed fresh light on his internal battle with the Democratic National Committee during his tenure as vice chair earlier this year at The Hill Nation Summit in Washington on Wednesday. Hogg said he was ultimately given an ultimatum to do nothing with his group, Leaders We Deserve, and 'collect a check' or keep his 'largely ceremonial title' as vice chair at the DNC. 'I want to say this publicly because I think I'm going to be vindicated in four years unfortunately,' Hogg told this reporter. 'There have been vice chairs before that have had leadership PACs that have given to people in primaries, that have given to and against incumbents in primaries, and in the 107-plus years of the DNC, there has not been a bylaw that has been put into place that say to vice chairs you cannot be involved in primaries other than the presidential.' Hogg argued that his treatment by the DNC was effectively a 'double standard' that was selectively enforced against him and warned that the 'archaic' restrictions barring vice chairs from giving to candidates with their leadership PACs will ultimately come back to haunt the party. 'When I talked to people in the DNC about a theoretical situation where a future president appoints, lets say a governor to be a vice chair, and that vice chair has a leadership pac, and they give to somebody in their own state whether it's for an incumbent or against an incumbent with that leadership,' he explained. 'Are you telling me that you're expecting the future chair to go to the Democratic president of the United States or Democratic nominee and say, 'I'm sorry Mr. or Mrs. President, your friend because of this archaic rule is no longer allowed to be a vice chair because they gave to somebody in their own state?'' he said. 'And you know what the answer I got back was? I can't speculate on the future.' Hogg launched Leaders We Deserve in an effort to elect a new generation of lawmakers and drew headlines for the group's $20 million effort to primary safe House Democrats. The activist has repeatedly maintained that the group would not target House Democrats facing uphill reelection bids, also known as Frontline Members. DNC Chair Ken Martin told reporters on a press call following the group's effort that 'no DNC officer should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election.' 'While certainly I understand what he's trying to do, as I've said to him — if you want to challenge incumbents, you're free to do that, just not as an officer of the DNC,' Martin said. Martin emphasized at the time he has 'great respect' for Hogg and referred to him as an 'amazing young leader.' Hogg left the DNC earlier this year after deciding not to run following a move to vacate his election over a procedural rule about gender diversity. Despite the disagreements between Hogg and Martin, Hogg said he thinks he still has 'a good relationship' with the chair. 'There's obviously disagreements that we have at the end of the day,' Hogg said. 'I still have enormous respect for all of my fellow vice chairs [and] for the other officers of the DNC.' 'I just saw this as a strategic disagreement,' he continued. 'I didn't want to be in a position where it's like oh I'm just going to keep this ceremonial role because I care so much about this title instead of actually doing what I felt was necessary in order to help create the change that I thought was desperately needed right now.' Hogg's group has gotten mixed results in various special elections so far this year. In June, Leaders We Deserve backed Virginia state Del. Irene Shin (D) in the special Democratic primary for Virginia's 11th congressional district, which was formerly held by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). Shin ultimately lost to Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who was Connolly's former chief of staff. Gen Z influencer Deja Foxx, who was also backed by Hogg's group, lost the special Democratic primary for the late Rep. Raul Grijalva's (D-Ariz.) seat in Arizona's 7th congressional district on Tuesday to Grijalva's daughter, Adelita Grijalva. Hogg congratulated Grijalva on her win at Wednesday's summit, calling her 'an amazing progressive.' 'I'm happy to see a progressive win that seat regardless,' he told this reporter. However, Hogg and Leaders We Deserve saw a massive win earlier this month when their endorsed candidate Zohran Mamdani defied expectations and won the Democratic primary in New York City's mayoral race. Hogg hit back at the backlash Mamdani has faced following the win, calling it 'racist.' 'A lot of stuff that I think is very, you know, racist,' Hogg said at the summit. 'A lot of times it wasn't even focused on his actual policy, it was more focused on him and his identity.' The comments came the same day Mamdani was meeting with Democrats in Washington, D.C., including progressives Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who hosted a breakfast for the candidate. Hogg said that he and his group would most likely be involved in the general election. When asked what he is most hopeful about as a Democrat in Trump's Washington, Hogg said: 'The fact that I am going to outlive a lot of people who are against me.' 'It's just the truth,' he continued. 'D.C. right now, with the number of older people who have just clung on to power for so long, it's not nearly as dramatic as this, but it feels a little bit like the end of the Soviet Union.' Hogg predicted that there will be a 'massive power vacuum.' 'We're going to challenge the status quo even if it's a tough fight,' he said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arizona Democratic race for House seat highlights party's internal debate – and previews the midterms
A gen Z influencer, a former state lawmaker and the daughter of a former representative are facing off in a special Democratic primary in Arizona on Tuesday that showcases the party's internal debate in the run-up to the midterm elections. Longtime Arizona representative and progressive stalwart Raúl Grijalva died in office from complications of lung cancer treatment in March at age 77, leaving open a seat representing southern Arizona and its borderlands. His daughter, Adelita Grijalva, herself a longtime elected official in southern Arizona, is the frontrunner in the race and has a laundry list of endorsements. But Deja Foxx, a 25-year-old who's made her name in viral moments standing up to politicians and who would become the youngest member of Congress, is surging in recent polls. Daniel Hernandez, a former state lawmaker who was at the 2011 shooting of then representative Gabby Giffords, is also pulling in significant support. Related: Redrawing Texas: the Republican plan to stack the decks for the midterms 'It's a fascinating encapsulation of the different factions and factors that will define all Democratic primaries in 2026,' said Arizona progressive lobbyist Gaelle Esposito. 'Adelita represents the progressive wing, Deja's the blank-slate outsider, Daniel has that big donor lane locked down. Do people want a progressive leader, do they just want to shake up the system or do they want someone who knows how to navigate the DC backrooms?' The district is solidly blue, meaning that whoever wins the Democratic primary is the likely victor in the general election. National Democratic infighting has brought extra attention to the race, as the left wrangles over how to fight Donald Trump and win back voters while the Democratic party brand is flagging. It's also the first time this seat has been open in more than two decades. Questions over seniority and age in the party have loomed over the race – three Democrats died in office this year, and Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passed by only one vote. Grijalva's opponents have attacked her 'legacy' last name. 'The thing that I need to push back on is this idea that the three members of Congress died because of age,' Grijalva, 54, said. 'They died because of cancer. My dad lived in a Superfund site and drank poison water for two decades.' After Zohran Mamdani's upset win in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, Democrats are looking across the country at how candidates who buck the status quo, and who communicate well to voters and on social media, will fare. Leaders We Deserve, David Hogg's Pac, endorsed Foxx in the race, saying 'she has translated her story to represent a new vision of generational change that speaks truth to Trump's cruel policies'. His group is spending in Democratic primaries in safe blue districts to support younger progressive candidates and drive out Democrats who are 'asleep at the wheel'. The candidates say voters are concerned about immigration, deportations and detentions – the district contains three major ports of entry on the US-Mexico border. The economy looms large, especially with Trump's new bill that could devastate rural areas in particular, as does the dismantling of democracy. But the race hasn't dwelled much on the issues; instead it's zoomed in on an old-versus-new, established-versus-insurgent dynamic that's played out across the country and will mark the midterms. The candidates Foxx, a gen Z Filipino American from Tucson, got her start fighting for better sex education in Tucson schools. She has nearly 400,000 followers on TikTok and more than 240,000 on Instagram and has created viral political moments since she was a teenager. When she was 16, she pointedly confronted then US senator Jeff Flake at a town hall over defunding Planned Parenthood, calling him a 'middle-aged man' who '[came] from privilege'. In the decade since, she has worked on political advocacy, including on Kamala Harris's 2020 campaign. She attended the Democratic national convention in 2024 as a content creator. Her personal story plays heavily into her campaign: her family relied on food stamps, Medicaid and section 8 housing, all targets for Republican budget-cutting. She experienced homelessness as a teenager. She has worked a 'normal-person job' and cleaned toilets at a gas station for $10 an hour. 'People are ready to question a political system that prioritizes legacy last names or big-dollar donors, and they're looking for a candidate who reflects back their lived experiences,' Foxx said. When she filed paperwork to run in the special election in April, she was alone in her bedroom – and she said she did it wrong. She, like other young candidates jumping into primaries across the country, is showing her followers how you run for office in real time. 'I am the only break from the status quo, the only change candidate that represents a difference in the tactics it's going to take to stand up to this administration,' she said. 'I would ask people to just imagine what we could do from the House floor. It's going to take messengers like me who know how to reach the people we are losing.' Hernandez, who served three terms in the state legislature, has touted his ability to work with Republicans to pass legislation. He ran in a nearby congressional district in 2022, losing in the Democratic primary. He said voters have told him they've been without a voice in Congress since early 2024, when Raúl Grijalva got sick. They're worried about losing access to Medicare, Medicaid and social security, and they want representation. 'I'm the only one that actually has experience delivering results in a Republican environment,' he said. 'That's something that is really important right now, given the very broken and very divided Congress that we're in.' Adelita Grijalva boasts a stack of endorsements from across the Democratic spectrum, including Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Arizona's two US senators, Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly. She has a long résumé in local politics, serving on the Tucson unified school district governing board for 20 years and the Pima county board of supervisors since 2020. She hasn't shied away from her father's legacy. Her first campaign video leans into it. 'When you grow up Grijalva, you learn how to fight and who you're fighting for,' she says. 'I know how to fight and win because I learned from the best.' She said she learned from her dad the importance of doing your homework and to not take politics personally – a lesson she admittedly has struggled with, especially in this race. 'I anticipated low blows. I didn't anticipate, like, six feet under,' she said. Foxx has called out Grijalva for having a 'legacy last name' and inheriting her father's donor and mailing lists. But, Grijalva notes, her dad was 'not a prolific fundraiser'. He raised enough to hire staff and buy food, but wasn't sending money back to the party. She said 94% of the people who donated to her primary campaign haven't given to a Grijalva before. 'I'm not using my dad's last name,' she said. 'It's mine, too. I've worked in this community for a very long time – 26 years at a non-profit, 20 years on the school board, four years and four months on the board of supervisors. I've earned my last name, too.' While she's been attacked as an establishment candidate, her record – and her father's – are strongly progressive. If elected, she wants to push for Medicaid for all and the Green New Deal. But the race has focused mostly on identity, with attempts to discredit her contributions to the community. 'Establishment' and 'Grijalva' have previously not really been used in the same sentences, she said, until the last month. 'I wonder if my dad were an older white man and I were a junior, if I would be getting the same kind of criticism that I'm getting now,' she said. 'And I don't think I would.'
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
David Hogg doubles down after controversy: ‘I'm not going away'
David Hogg is making it clear he's not going anywhere — whether Democrats like it or not. The 25-year-old gun control activist opted not to run again for his post at the Democratic National Committee after his decision to get involved in primaries sparked intense backlash. But Hogg has continued to be active on the political scene, meeting with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and encouraging primary challenges for Democrats who support U.S. intervention in Iran. While some Democrats have welcomed him back into the fold since his exit, other members of the party fear he could be a hindrance as they prepare for the midterms. Regardless of what his fellow party members think of him, though, Hogg has made it clear he's here to stay. 'I'm not going away,' he told The Hill in his first interview since his announcement to forgo running for DNC vice chair. 'What people are trying to do is focus on talking about me a lot of the time, when really it's because they don't want to talk about the fact that we do have a real problem — a real problem with comfortability and competition,' he said, 'and they don't want to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth, which is that we have to dramatically change as a party and what brought us here, is not what's going to get us out.' Hogg has remained an outspoken member of the party more than a week since he decided not to run again for a DNC vice chair spot. On X, he has called out lawmakers as hypocrites for questioning paying for the price of universal health care or canceling student debt while not raising concerns over the price of another war. He also said prior to the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend that any Democrat who supports war with the Islamic Republic needs to be primaried, adding that that his generation 'grew up going through two multi trillion dollar wars we should have never been involved in.' Ahead of the New York City mayoral Democratic primary on Tuesday, he appeared alongside Mamdani, with his group Leaders We Deserve endorsing the New York State assembly member. The New York Times reported that the group also contributed $300,000 to a Working Families Party super PAC, which ranks Mamdani first on its slate of endorsed candidates. Hogg told The Hill that since he's decided to forgo running again within the DNC, he's called his supporters to thank them and said he's been focused on his Leaders We Deserve group. 'There's a lot of work that we got to do, too, to recruit candidates around the country and find the best seats for them to run in, and vet them and do all that we can to support them,' he said, noting the group's 'been looking increasingly into Virginia' in addition to being focused on the midterms. Hogg's involvement in party primaries while a vice chair at the DNC drew intense backlash from fellow Democrats. Now that he's no longer in that position, questions are growing about what role he should play in the party going forward. 'I want to see our party grow,' said Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright, who was critical of Hogg during his brief tenure at the DNC. 'I want to see our infrastructure strengthen.' 'I want to see our coalition rebuild and expanded, and if he can contribute to that without being [a] distraction, then we welcome that,' he added. Seawright, who served as an adviser to former DNC chair Jaime Harrison, said it's 'yet to be determined' whether Hogg is a distraction or a problem for the party. Matt Bennett, executive vice president for public affairs at the center-left Third Way noted that Hogg's 'got a point' that there are some lawmakers who aren't as effective as they used to be because they've aged. At the same time, he questioned the use of resources toward supporting challenging incumbents, saying 'spending $20 million to beat Democrats in primaries is the wrong use of resources' right now. Leaders We Deserve is quick to point out that its $20 million investment is not entirely going toward challenging Democratic incumbents but toward a host of other efforts, too. 'We're challenging incumbents, but we're also doing open seats. We're also going to do red-to-blue races, and we're going to continue doing state legislative work as well,' said, Kevin Lata, co-founder and executive director of the political group. 'The sum total of what we're doing is going to cover all of that,' he added. New York state Sen. James Skoufis, a Martin ally who was named as a member of the DNC's 'People Cabinet,' has been particularly critical of Hogg. 'I don't want anyone to be a public-facing member of the party who is intent on sowing divisions and whose actions will make it more difficult for us to rebuild our brand and start winning elections again,' he said. It's a fraught time to be a Democrat. The party's approval ratings are abysmally low, members are desperately looking for the right leaders and messengers to take on President Trump in his second term and questions remain over how Democrats can win back key voting blocs it struggled with, such as young men and Latinos. Adding to the urgency for the party is the Trump administration's decision to move forward with military intervention in Iran over the weekend, actions that drew swift condemnation from many Democrats. Hogg hasn't been the only one under scrutiny; Martin has garnered criticism from some within the party over how he's helmed the DNC since becoming chair in February. The DNC chair has sought to brush off the criticism in a statement, saying: 'Some people in D.C. just want to win an argument, but I'm focused on winning elections,' pointing out the party has over-performed or won in 30 elections this year alone. Hogg, who spoke with The Hill prior to the bombings in Iran, views the disputes directed toward him as 'strategic disagreements,' saying he doesn't take them personally and emphasizing his efforts are about strengthening the party. And he made it clear that the party wasn't going to be able to improve its brand 'with the same cast of characters that brought us here.' 'This isn't about me, it's about the party, and it's about fostering healthy competition, a healthy culture of competition in the party, to make sure that we have the best representatives possible, so that we never have another situation like' what we had last cycle, Hogg told The Hill. A clear source of tension was the fact that Hogg was engaging in primaries as a DNC officer. Some DNC committee members told The Hill they welcomed the idea of having him partner with the national committee after he decided against running for his vice chair spot. Members of the party, too, still want to see the gun control activist remain a clear presence within the party and believe he has a special role to play. 'I think his voice is critical,' said Maria Cardona, a Democratic strategist and DNC member who voted for Hogg in the February election. 'I hope that David Hogg will now move forward and do what he does best, which is to give those who don't believe they have a voice, a voice in the system that desperately needs everyone's participation in order to work as it should,' she said. Cardona said she hoped to see Hogg mobilizing younger voters, registering them to vote and help encourage young people to run for office. Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Hogg was dialing into the 'the zeitgeist' of what both Democratic base voters and swing voters 'are feeling right now, which is [the] Democratic Party needs a different vibe.' Even some Hogg skeptics or members of the party who might ideologically differ with him believe he has the potential to play an important role in the party, particularly as someone who can mobilize and engage with his young generation. 'We need more common-sense gun reform, and David Hogg can help with that, and I would love to work with him on that,' said Jon Kott, a Democratic strategist who served as a top aide to former Sen. Joe Manchin ( 'I think David Hogg brings energy to a younger generation that doesn't vote. David Hogg can help get those people out to vote. I'd love to work with him on that.' Hogg left the door open to partnering with the DNC, saying he'd be happy to have a conversation with them, including working with them after primaries when the attention is focused on the general election. 'Happy to do that, because I do care about us having unity,' he said. 'What I care about far more than that, though, is making sure that we are trying to change things, and that we're united in getting Democrats elected.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
David Hogg is right: Democratic leaders' strategy is obsolete
Democratic leaders aren't failing because they're too old. They're failing because their political strategy is obsolete. The recent Democratic National Committee drama proves the point. Hours after the DNC voted to void David Hogg's vice chair election on procedural grounds, the 26-year-old activist announced he wouldn't compete in the redo election. The DNC's move — forcing new elections over alleged procedural violations — came after leaked audio revealed DNC Chair Ken Martin venting about conflicts with Hogg, saying, 'I don't know if I want to do this anymore' and 'you essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to.' The outcome illustrates the problem. The DNC forced Hogg out for challenging party orthodoxy — specifically his plan to raise millions through his 'Leaders We Deserve' PAC to support young progressives against incumbent Democrats in safe seats. Party officials said DNC officers should focus on defeating Republicans, not 'sowing division.' But Hogg's parting shot captured the real issue. He decried 'a serious lack of vision from Democratic leaders, too many of them asleep at the wheel.' Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here Polling confirms that voters agree with Hogg's diagnosis. A June CNN/SSRS poll found only 16 percent of Americans see Democrats as strong leaders capable of 'getting things done,' compared to 40 percent for Republicans. Meanwhile, 91 percent of Democrats view Trump's return as a threat to democracy, reinforcing the need for assertive progressive leadership. Yet Democratic leaders consistently chooses 'unity' over effectiveness. They suppress confrontational tactics instead of channeling them strategically. They draft thoughtful position papers that get buried while Republicans manufacture outrage that dominates news cycles. They rely on pollster-tested talking points instead of speaking with authentic conviction. And they treat primary challenges as party betrayals, rather than mechanisms for democratic accountability. The irony is that Hogg got ejected for doing exactly what successful politicians do: creating attention-grabbing moments that force conversations about important issues. His strategy for primary challenges mirrors what Republicans have used effectively for years to reshape their party. Tea Party primaries moved the GOP rightward, and pro-Trump primaries completed the transformation. These weren't accidents — they were strategic uses of competitive pressure that generated media coverage and shifted the public debate. But when Democrats attempt similar tactics, leadership panics. Consider Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) approach: When he quietly negotiated bipartisan deals, Republicans got credit for being reasonable, whereas Democrats were blamed for lacking principles. When progressives demand accountability through primaries, party elites worry about 'division' rather than leveraging the coverage to advance Democratic goals. And when activists create controversy, they are expelled rather than strategically deployed. This isn't about replacing experienced leaders with younger ones. In fact, there are Democrats with nontraditional political strategies across the age range. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), 83, commands one of America's largest political digital platforms. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), 34, is a master at using social media to advance progressive policies. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), 51, launched a PAC designed for direct grassroots mobilization rather than traditional fundraising. Age doesn't determine strategic wisdom — results do. The unexpected outcome of the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City reinforces the pattern — and the resistance to change. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman, defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the establishment favorite, despite most of the city's Democratic House delegation endorsing Cuomo. The victory came with financial support from Hogg's 'Leaders We Deserve' PAC. Yet the party's response was predictably cautious: while praising Mamdani's organizing effectiveness, figures such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries avoided endorsement, and some Democrats immediately distanced themselves from the winner — exactly the kind of institutional timidity that limits Democratic effectiveness. Democratic strategy must be updated to match current realities realities — and actually learning from what works. Modern political battles are fought in public, in real-time, through narrative competition. The party that controls attention controls outcomes. This means creating political moments that advance Democratic goals rather than avoiding conflict. It means treating competitive primaries as tools for generating beneficial coverage, not threats to institutional stability. Republicans figured this out years ago. They have mastered creating controversy that generates coverage. That coverage shapes narratives and narratives determine policy outcomes. Democrats have watched this happen repeatedly while responding with carefully crafted talking points that audiences ignore. Democrats can either adapt or keep losing winnable fights. The DNC decision suggests they're choosing the latter. Hogg may be out, but the strategic problems that made his critique necessary remain. Until Democratic leaders updates their obsolete playbook, they'll keep being outmaneuvered by Republicans who understand that controlling the story requires a willingness to make news. The late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) famously urged Americans to make 'good trouble, necessary trouble' in pursuit of justice. Democrats today face a choice: Embrace the kind of strategic disruption that Lewis championed, or continue playing by outdated rules while Republicans dominate the narrative battlefield. The DNC's response to Hogg and Democratic leadership's cautious reaction to unexpected primary victories suggests they are choosing institutional comfort over strategic effectiveness. That's not just bad politics — it's a betrayal of the tradition of productive conflict that built the modern Democratic Party. Dana Dolan teaches public policy at George Mason University.
