Earlier this year, David Hogg, then-Democratic National Committee vice chair and founder of March For Our Lives, made national headlines by promising to spend $20 million to support young primary challengers to what he called “ineffective” house Democrats.
“Experience matters if you're actually going to push to get things done and shake up the system,” Hogg told KCUR’s Up To Date. “But increasingly, what you find is, as people come into power, as they become more entrenched and part of that system, they don't want to.”
Hogg admits that the move probably made him quite a few enemies within his own party, with many believing it led to the end of his DNC tenure.
Now Hogg is focused fully on his role as a figurehead for the PAC he co-founded, Leader We Deserve. The organization attempting to carry out his promise of finding and supporting younger Democratic candidates.
Hogg said he sees opportunities for such candidates to succeed across the country, in traditionally red states like Kansas and Missouri. He argued that the grassroots organizing and engagement of candidates like New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
“We need to shift our focus to who's actually listening and doing the work on the ground,” said Hogg. “What is going on in Kansas or what is going on in Missouri is different from what is going on in New York City. But what I'm saying is that there is value in authentically listening and a candidate truly committing to their values.”
- David Hogg, co-founder of Leaders We Deserve, founder of March For Our Lives
Event: Cocktails & Politics with David Hogg, Friday, Aug. 15 at 5:30 p.m, Medallion Theatre at Park 39, 300 E. 39th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
