David Hogg, the young vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee whose vow to unseat “asleep-at-the-wheel” Democrats roiled his party, said on Wednesday that he would step away from the high-ranking role in a move that ends months of internal infighting.
Moments before Hogg announced his decision, members of the committee had voted to hold new vice-chair elections that could have led to his ouster.
“I came into this role to play a positive role in creating the change our party needs,” Hogg said in a statement, announcing that he was withdrawing from the race. “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 continued: “Ultimately, I have decided to not run in this upcoming election so the party can focus on what really matters.”
Hogg’s brief tenure has been marked by dramatic infighting with members of the committee’s leadership team after he announced his plans to spend $20m in Democratic primaries through his outside political organization, Leaders We Deserve.
In April, DNC chair Ken Martin endorsed a proposal that would have forced Hogg to choose between his vice-chair position and his push to bring generational change to the party. Last weekend, audio from an internal Zoom meeting of party officers was leaked to Politico.
In the recording, Martin accuses Hogg of having “destroyed” his ability to effectively lead Democrats out the political wilderness. Multiple officers publicly blamed Hogg for the disclosure, prompting Hogg to post screenshots of text he had ignored from the Politico reporter seeking comment.
In a statement, Martin called Hogg a “powerful voice for this party” and said he commended his activism.
“I respect his decision to step back from his post as Vice Chair,” Martin said. “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.”
Hogg’s withdrawal means that Pennsylvania state lawmaker Malcolm Kenyatta is the only candidate eligible for the male vice-chair role. A second vote will be held later this week for the second vice-chair position, which can be a candidate of any gender.
Kenyatta, who has been sharply critical of Hogg and the attention focused on him, said in a statement that he was “grateful” to his supporters and eager to move forward.
“Democrats must be bold and meet this moment,” he said. “This is the urgent work in front of us: to stand up to authoritarianism, to protect care and dignity, and to make life better for the people who count on us.”
