The DNC’s David Hogg knows which Democrats he wants to oust

DNC Vice Chair David Hogg ruffled Democratic feathers this month when he pledged to raise $20 million to support primary challengers of longtime House Democratic incumbents he deemed “out-of-touch” and “ineffective.”

He now tells the Washington Post that he has a list of lawmakers ready to go.

Talking to the Post’s Colby Itkowitz on “Post Reports” (podcast available Thursday afternoon), Hogg said he has already picked some of the Democratic incumbents he wants to oust with his new, controversial political action committee, Leaders We Deserve, and he is recruiting people to challenge them. Hogg, who founded the committee last cycle to elevate young candidates and was elected one of the DNC’s five vice chairs in February, argues that the challenges are just what the Democratic Party needs after an abysmal 2024 election.

“There are some effective people in our party; there are certainly some who are failing to meet the moment and know it’s time for them not to seek re-election. Whether that’s because they’re too old, for example, or if that’s just because they aren’t able to meet it,” Hogg said. “Because frankly, unfortunately, sucking is something that is not limited to age.”

He wouldn’t name names, but Hogg specifically said he won’t support challenges to the former House Democratic leadership panel of Reps. Nancy Pelosi, James E. Clyburn and Steny H. Hoyer.

Hogg’s primary plan was a stunning announcement from such a high-ranking officer of the national party. But to liberals who have waged war against party leaders in the past, just as notable was how muted the response has been from the party’s main House campaign arm.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, offered a milquetoast statement in response, saying that she was keeping a focus on competitive races and urging others to do the same. Hogg, meanwhile, says his efforts are all set to be located in safe seats.

That is a “monumental shift in how this party is responding to Democratic primary challenges,” said Usamah Andrabi, communications director for Justice Democrats, a group that got several of the biggest names in liberal politics to Congress through Democratic primary challenges.

The DCCC is historically hostile to primary challengers, even in deep-blue districts that don’t threaten their majority. In 2018, the DCCC barred working with consultants and pollsters who lent their services to liberal primary challengers - a move derisively called a “blacklist” by the left - prompting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to tell her millions of then-Twitter followers in 2019 to donate directly to candidates instead of the DCCC in protest.

“You must protect incumbents in competitive districts but also minimize primaries of Democrats even in safer districts,” said former congressman Steve Israel of New York, who chaired the DCCC from 2011 to 2015. “Primaries are a massive headache. They drain resources.”

Israel declined to revisit any specific races from his time as DCCC chair but stressed that sometimes that meant betting on candidates “we knew would win” but “didn’t pass the ideological purity tests.”

Democrats critical of Hogg’s efforts say it could wind up hurting their candidates in contested districts, as Democrats in safe seats will now spend their time and money defending themselves from primary challengers instead. Privately, Democratic operatives tasked with taking back the House and Senate have fumed at what they see as rank arrogance from Hogg.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said Sunday on ABC News that he is “standing behind every single Democratic incumbent, from the most progressive to the most centrist and all points in between.”

Michael Kapp, a DNC member from California, said he thinks Hogg needs to choose which role is more important to him.

“I think that there are appropriate places for both the DNC and Leaders We Deserve, but not necessarily one individual with hands in both camps,” he said.

Notus reported Wednesday afternoon that DNC Chair Ken Martin plans to introduce a resolution Thursday forcing Hogg to make that choice by compelling all party officers to remain neutral in primaries. (When asked about the Notus story Wednesday, Martin declined to comment but did say, “Good try.”)

Despite agreeing with many of his Democratic peers that Hogg’s ambitious sum could be better used to target vulnerable Republicans, Israel said he could see the momentum behind Hogg’s effort.

“I’m not surprised,” Israel said. “There’s deep activist energy among the community, among Democrats in the nation. And we need to do a better job of harnessing that energy, investing in skills building, updating voter files, teaching prospective candidates the art and science of campaigning. … I’m hopeful that (Hogg) will reconsider and raise money to build out a bench to beat Republicans rather than forcing Democrats to defend.”