Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair David Hogg announced Wednesday that he would be forgoing reelection for his spot in the committee after DNC members voted to redo the vice chair election of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.
“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 said in a statement shared through his Leaders We Deserve group.
“Ultimately, I have decided to not run in this upcoming election so the party can focus on what really matters. I need to do this work with Leaders We Deserve, and it is going to remain my number one mission to build the strongest party possible,” he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, DNC committee members voted 294 to 99 to redo the election of both vice chairs after Oklahoma DNC member Kalyn Free challenged the way the election was conducted in February, alleging in her letter that it unfairly gave the male candidates an advantage over the female vice chair candidates.
The challenge was issued far before Hogg announced his group would be getting involved in primarying safe Democratic incumbents. But the two began to run in tandem as Hogg’s decision to wade into Democratic contests drew the ire and disapproval from members of the party, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, who believed he shouldn’t be doing so as an officer of the national party.
Tensions between the DNC leadership and Hogg came to a head earlier this week when audio was leaked of a Zoom call with DNC officers that happened last month and was published over the weekend, indicating Martin was frustrated with Hogg.
Some members indicated that they were reconsidering how they would vote over whether the DNC should redo its vice chair election in light of the leaked reporting.
Martin responded to Hogg’s announcement in a statement saying, “I commend David for his years of activism, organizing, and fighting for his generation, and while I continue to believe he is a powerful voice for this party, I respect his decision to step back from his post as Vice Chair.”
“I have no doubt that he will remain an important advocate for Democrats across the map. I appreciate his service as an officer, his hard work, and his dedication to the party,” Martin added.
The DNC is set to vote on its vice chair elections this week and next week.
