DNC chair rebukes David Hogg over plan to primary ‘out of touch’ Democrats

Ken Martin, the DNC chair, said: ‘We can’t be both the referee and also the player at the same time.’ Photograph: Rod Lamkey/AP

Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, has announced a proposal requiring party officials to remain neutral in primary elections, challenging activist David Hogg to choose between his vice-chair post and his pledge to unseat “asleep-at-the-wheel” incumbents.

As Democrats scramble to rebuild their tarnished brand after a devastating loss to Donald Trump in 2024, party officials are escalating a confrontation with the 25-year-old progressive activist who was elected to serve as a vice-chair in February.