PHOENIX — Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin laid out his stance on Thursday, suggesting that DNC officers should refrain from choosing sides in primary races. This suggestion directly counters DNC Vice Chair David Hogg’s initiative to fundraise for candidates taking on Democratic incumbents.
This proposal adds fuel to the ongoing tension between Martin, the newly elected head of the DNC, and Hogg, who is well-known for his advocacy in gun control following the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018. Both figures ascended to their current roles through DNC elections earlier this year. Martin is actively working on drafting changes to the bylaws aimed at ensuring officers remain completely neutral during Democratic primaries.
According to Martin, maintaining a stance of impartiality is vital to preserve the trust of voters. He referenced the division that was evident after Senator Bernie Sanders’ supporters from his 2016 presidential run believed party representatives showed bias, favoring Hillary Clinton. Despite her nomination, Clinton ultimately lost to Donald Trump in the general election. Martin expressed, “You can’t be both the player and the referee,” in an opinion editorial published recently.
On the other hand, Hogg, via a post on social media, asserted that his fundraising efforts are not violating any existing DNC guidelines. He is working through a political action committee independent of the DNC, aiming to back primary challengers to long-established incumbents in districts that lean heavily Democratic. Hogg believes such efforts are necessary to refresh the party’s leadership, making it more proactive in standing up to Trump and resonating with younger voters.
Hogg pointed out that his approach does not hinder the DNC from fulfilling its core duties—such as organizing a presidential nominating process, bolstering state Democratic entities, optimizing data systems, and preparing the organizational groundwork for future presidential campaigns. In his view, the Democratic Party is not perceived as providing a “real alternative to the Republican Party.” He warned that maintaining the current path would not provoke change, insisting, “We have no other option but to do the hard work of holding ourselves and our own party accountable.”
Furthermore, Martin announced plans to increase the DNC’s financial contributions to state Democratic parties. The support will see an increase of $5,000, raising the monthly allocation to $17,500, with an additional $5,000 monthly directed towards states governed by Republicans.