‘Slap in my face’: David Hogg’s DNC Vice Chair victory overturned amidst infighting

A challenge to the procedure used in the February Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair election has led to the overturning of David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta’s wins. The challenge was filed by Oklahoma Democratic Committeewoman Kalyn Free, who claimed that the way the voting was conducted gave an unfair advantage to male candidates.

Free argued that merging the final two rounds of voting for vice chair, which left only Hogg and Kenyatta as the remaining male candidates, went against the DNC’s rule requiring gender balance on its executive committee. She suggested that if each position had been voted on separately, the results might have been different. After a three-hour meeting, the DNC Credentials Committee agreed that the election had flaws in its process and recommended canceling the results, calling the election “incomplete.”

This decision now needs to be approved by a full vote of the DNC. Hogg and Kenyatta accepted the committee’s decision but disagreed with its reasoning. They said the party had the right to simplify what had been a long and drawn-out voting process. However, Hogg also pointed out that his ongoing disagreements with the national party might have played a role, suggesting that the vote could be a way to push him out of his position, per CBS.

DNC vote undone by committee

Hogg mentioned his work to reform the party and his backing of primary challenges against sitting Democrats, saying this decision might be a quick way to remove him. Kenyatta shared similar frustrations, calling the decision a personal attack that had nothing to do with his job performance.

The dispute over Hogg’s actions added to the internal party debate. His efforts to support primary challenges against current Democrats, which reportedly cost around $20 million, caused major disagreements within the party. Many party members, including Chairman Ken Martin, believe the party should stay neutral in primary races. Martin said he was disappointed by the procedural mistake but stressed his focus on fairness and letting the full DNC membership decide the matter properly.

Kenyatta stated on social media that he respected the vote, but disagreed with the decision, and that it was a “slap in my face.” He repeated the importance of neutrality in the party, saying that when party leaders get involved in primaries, it can look like favoritism.

Other party strategists criticized Hogg, saying his actions hurt the party’s chances in elections. These criticisms conflicted with Hogg’s argument that holding incumbent Democrats accountable is necessary to prevent political stagnation. The Credentials Committee’s recommendation now leads to an important vote by the full DNC. If the recommendation is approved, new elections for the vice chair roles will be held, giving Hogg and Kenyatta a chance to run again.