As the Democratic National Committee eyes a vote to oust Vice Chair David Hogg, the 25-year-old Parkland shooting survivor has thrown his support behind a candidate in an upcoming special election in Virginia.
Hogg’s progressive group Leaders We Deserve announced Tuesday it was backing state Del. Irene Shin in the special election in Virginia’s 11th District, calling her “an incredible progressive leader” who is “running to take on a corrupt and broken system.”
His group’s endorsement comes as DNC leaders have voiced their frustrations with the young progressive since his initial election to party leadership.
Shin is competing to replace the late Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly, who died late last month after a battle with esophageal cancer. Connolly — who had already announced he wouldn’t run again next year — had endorsed his former aide James Walkinshaw for the job before his death. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the special election will take place Sept. 9.
“Politics is broken, and Congress needs more leaders who share the lived experiences of the people they represent, rather than prioritizing corporate interests or their big money donors,” Shin said as she thanked Hogg and the organization for the endorsement.
The winner of the Democratic primary will almost assuredly win the deep blue district in September.
Shin’s words echo Hogg, who announced in April that Leaders We Deserve plans to spend $20 million in primaries, including challenging “out-of-touch, ineffective” incumbent House Democrats.
Last month, the DNC Credentials Committee heard a complaint that alleged the body fumbled its own rules when Hogg and fellow Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta were elected. Now, committee members will decide this week on whether to redo the election — which would effectively remove Hogg and Kenyatta.
DNC Chair Ken Martin told party leaders in May that he’s unsure about his ability to lead the party because of infighting caused by Hogg.
“No one knows who the hell I am, right? I’m trying to get my sea legs underneath of me and actually develop any amount of credibility so I can go out there and raise the money and do the job I need to to put ourselves in a position to win,” Martin said in a recording obtained by POLITICO. “And again, I don’t think you intended this, but you essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to. So it’s really frustrating.”
Martin had issued an ultimatum to Hogg, calling for him to take a neutrality pledge or step down. Hogg countered with a proposal to create a firewall that would bar him from accessing internal committee information about races where he was supporting challengers. Martin shot down the idea.
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