David Hogg Out at DNC, Won't Run Again

David Hogg announced he will not seek reelection as one of three vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee after the full body voted Wednesday to hold new elections.

“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,” Hogg said in a statement.

Earlier on Wednesday, the DNC voted to authorize new vice chair elections, setting the stage for Hogg to possibly be removed from his leadership position amid a dispute over his efforts to oust incumbent Democrats.

After the 294-99 vote, DNC members will hold new elections on June 12-14 to elect a male vice chair, and then from June 15-17, members will vote for a second vice chair who can be of any gender.

But with Hogg announcing he won’t seek another election, the only male candidate on the ballot is Malcolm Kenyatta, the other vice chairman whose position was thrown into doubt.

Hogg’s decision to invest $20 million through his group, Leaders We Deserve, to oust incumbent Democrats angered members of the party who pushed back against DNC leadership meddling in primaries, though officials deny the election redo is related to his actions.

The internal battle intensified after DNC Chairman Ken Martin was heard on a leaked recording from Politico questioning his ability to lead and criticizing Hogg’s actions.

Hogg denied that he leaked the audio to the media. “A lot of people are accusing me of leaking this recording. These are the messages from the reporter who wrote the story,” he posted on X.

Besides Hogg and Kenyetta, the candidates eligible for the two vice chair positions were Kalyn Free, Jeanna Repass, and Shasti Conrad.

Free challenged the election of Hogg and Kenyatta as two of the three vice chairs on Feb. 28, claiming their election did not follow proper procedure, before Hogg announced the $20 million investment in mid-April.

The DNC credentials committee previously voted for new elections last month before the full DNC membership voted on Wednesday.

Kenyatta has accused Hogg of distracting the DNC with internal drama as opposed to strategizing on how best to counter President Donald Trump‘s administration. Democrats are still struggling over how to win back members of their coalition that defected to Trump in the 2024 elections.

In a recent social media post, Kenyatta even slammed Hogg’s denial of leaking audio of Martin.

“Apropos of nothing: leaking texts messages to prove you didn’t leak a phone call is… a choice,” Kenyatta posted on X.

In his statement announcing he was not running again, Hogg said he had “nothing but admiration and respect for my fellow officers. Even though we have disagreements, we all are here to build the strongest party possible.”

Some Democrats have cautioned that the optics of removing Hogg through the new elections could incense party members who claim that leaders are silencing criticism from younger Democrats.

They have instead pushed for the DNC to consider changing its bylaws during a future meeting in August to prevent leaders, including Hogg, from wading into primary battles.

Hogg has refused to back down from his push to oust incumbent Democrats for younger leaders, even after Martin explicitly called on officials not to wade into primary battles.

“No DNC officer should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election, whether on behalf of an incumbent or a challenger,” Martin previously said in April. “Voters should decide who our primary nominees are, not DNC leadership. Our role is to serve as stewards of a fair, open, and trusted process, not to tilt the scales.”

Following Hogg’s announcement on Wednesday, Martin praised him 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,” Martin added. “I appreciate his service as an officer, his hard work, and his dedication to the party.”