Democrats Beat David Hogg Into Six-Figure Ransom Payment After He Tried To Destroy Party From Within

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chairman David Hogg’s organization donated $100,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in mid-April after threatening to primary a dozen sitting Democratic lawmakers, Axios reported April 18.

Hogg’s “Leaders We Deserve” organization announced plans April 15 to spend up to $20 million to unseat older incumbent Democrats in favor of fresh blood. Hogg himself has touted the plans in numerous media appearances.

“This is going to anger a lot of people,” he told The New York Times, adding, “People say they want change in the Democratic Party, but really they want change so long as it doesn’t potentially endanger their position of power.”

His comments garnered pushback from Democratic leaders, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, who said DNC leaders “can’t be both the referee and also the player at the same time.”

“What a disappointment from leadership. I can think of a million better things to do with twenty million dollars right now,” Democratic Michigan Rep. Hillary Scholten told Axios. (RELATED: Democrats’ Favorite Gen-Z Blowhard Is Trying To Rip The Party Apart)

Martin circulated a neutrality pledge at a recent convening of DNC leadership. Hogg was the only one who didn’t sign it, The New York Times reported, citing anonymous sources.

Martin will reportedly move to formalize a rule requiring party leader neutrality at the DNC’s August meeting, according to Politico.

Shortly after Hogg’s comments to The New York Times, Axios reported that Leaders We Deserve was donating $100,000 to the DCCC, Axios reported.

Some viewed the donation as a mea culpa.

“That $100k ransom payment to [DCCC chair] Suzan Del Bene isn’t going to cover the DCCC’s bill for this,” Jack Pandol, the deputy executive director for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), wrote on X.

That $100k ransom payment to @SuzanDelBene isn’t going to cover the DCCC’s bill for this… https://t.co/AxsQcbWCu0 pic.twitter.com/3lWPr7drD1

— Jack Pandol (@jackpandol) April 29, 2025

Hogg insisted that his donation was simply about offering good will and said he has no plans to stop aggressively targeting older Democrats.

“This is not me playing nice. It is demonstrating my commitment to winning back the house and making Hakeem Jeffries the Speaker, which is an absolute imperative,” he wrote in an April 18 post.

“We absolutely cannot wait for people to retire at their own leisure or to let them sit there and do nothing while the country is burning,” he concluded.

This is not me playing nice. It is demonstrating my commitment to winning back the house and making Hakeem Jeffries the Speaker, which is an absolute imperative.

But we need a better democratic party and need to get rid of the democrats in safe seats who do not understand what… https://t.co/ir47dptPYt

— David Hogg 🟧 (@davidhogg111) April 18, 2025

The DNC chose Hogg for one of its vice chair positions in February.

The 25-year-old activist rose to prominence as an outspoken advocate for gun control after witnessing a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018.