First sentence of first article states: "David Hogg, a controversial Democratic National Committee vice chair, is pledging to upend Democratic primaries by funding candidates who will challenge “ineffective, asleep-at-the-wheel” Democrats." "Ineffective, asleep-at-the-wheel" Democrats.
He has effectively stated that if Democrats in those safe blue seats don't stand up and fight, they're going to be primaried - as they should be. “We need people, regardless of their age, that are here to fight.”
I hear you, but worry that we will end up LOSING those "safe" seats. I think our time and money is better spent going after winnable Rethuglican seats. We need to win the House majority, and we already HAVE the safe seats.
In Georgia, independent of Hogg's proposal, David Scott already has two primary challengers for next year. Scott is physically and mentally unfit for office. But he'd win next year. One of his challengers (and we don't know who will win the primary) has a huge chance of losing the seat to the Republicans.
I listened to James Carville yesterday talking about David Hogg and wanting young Democrats to run against incumbents. He had the same take on it as you but having listened to David Hogg over the years, his main issue is money/lobbyists in politics. I think when he states he wants to primary incumbents who aren't doing anything about the current daily disasters, he sees it as them more worried about losing their extra money source. I think you are right. Now is NOT the time to run younger Democrats against incumbents. We have to worry more about getting the majority in both Houses before Trump collapses our democracy but Hogg is 100% correct about getting $$$$ out of politics. Even though Musk's candidate lost, I think Elon putting millions into the Wisconsin Supreme Court seat opened a lot of eyes to how far people will go to buy an election. If Hogg wants Democrats to fight right now, his main concerns should be that there are election in 26' and the laws that are trying to keep disenfranchising more and more voters.
As I'm sure you've heard me say, elections are won house by house, person by person, and block by block. For large elections, when people are able to spend on TV, radio and social media, there is a benefit to have enough (though not too much) money to get one's message out. But in most elections, including House elections, what matters is getting candidates in front of voters.
And I am dismayed that people are all concerned with 2026, when we have elections in 2025 -- and these are really easy to win if candidates remember that most people (HONEST -- MOST PEOPLE) do not know there ARE elections in odd-numbered years. If you can talk to them, they are the lowest hanging fruit to get to the polls and win elections.
Totally agree. We will need experienced Dems to rebuild the government from the catastrophe of musk, Trump, and Project 2025. I would hope the party is actively planning how to rebuild a leaner but more effective government. This would be a great project for younger Democrats in coordination with older and wiser heads
In the past, we built our base of candidates by mentoring them, and having people learn by being on school boards, city councils, and other local positions, then county, then state, then Federal. This was incredibly effective in terms of the legislative skills, fundraising skills, and interactivity skills that people learned. That's changed in the past 10 years or so....and it's not been working.
You did a better job expressing my views on the subject than I ever did or could. Consider that we won a race for Congress in NYC and Westchester County after accomplished moderate County Executive Latimer defeated ultra liberal incumbent Bowman and went on to election to Congress in a race that alarm bell ringer Bowman could have lost to a popular Republican challenger.
Not surprising coming from David Hogg. yes we do need young blood in Democratic party .But he is an idiot. We should be focusing on getting the GQP seats who are vulnerable thats Why I m donating to swing left. They have a plan to get the house back.
Calling David Hogg an idiot is so disrepectful to a man who survived a mass school shooting and then watched as his country did NOTHING (again).
Young people are angry. They're angry about climate change, Gaza, student load debt, the high housing costs, wage stagnation, and rising costs of living. The chances of him trying to primary AOC and Bernie are slim to none. Have you seen the crowds those two are drawing? The message isn't about age - it's about policies that don't work. It just so happens the people they're angry with ARE the fossils who are clinging desperately to their jobs.
I say turn it over to the youth of this country. We had our turn and look where we are. They are the future of this country. We are the past.
I NEVER called him an idiot. I have great sympathy for all he endured. Especially when he was doxxed and targeted, and as awful as that was, he maintained outward humor. For example, when accused of being paid by Soros as an actor, and not a victim, he said "No one who ever saw me play Tevya in Fiddler would think anyone would pay me to act." I have great respect for what he and his associates did relative to trying to change gun laws in Florida.
While I agree that we need youth to step up, I honestly believe that there are better ways to accomplish their ends than challenging incumbent Democrats -- for example, running candidates against Republicans in purple districts where we have a chance to pick up seats. Winning the majority in the House should be our goal for next year.
I never said you called him an idiot but another commenter did and you let it slide. It's one thing to not agree with him and quite another to sling dirt. They don't want to be mentored by anyone. Who mentored us in 60"s? We took our beliefs and pushed forward. You can't keep sitting them at the children's table and expect them to listen.
To Victor and Linda -- I "like" posts more as "I saw it" than "I agree" -- it's like a check mark for me, although sometimes I miss doing it. But going forward, I will cease liking posts.
Barb called him an idiot and you "liked" her post. Very disappointing to me. If we don't listen to the millions of young people who are being mocked, dismissed, and/or criticized by the old guard, we are doomed. I think his announcement was meant to be a wake-up call to the DNC to take them seriously.
To Victor and Linda -- I "like" posts more as "I saw it" than "I agree" -- it's like a check mark for me, although sometimes I miss doing it. But going forward, I will cease liking posts.
I am probably in the minority. At 71 I am not a fan of the DNC as they push for centrists such as Hillary and Kamala while holding back people like Bernie and AOC. Let's be honest race aside, America does not seems to favor female presidents. The DNC should have learned their lesson with Hilary who lost to Trump. But no they pushed Kamala through without a primary against Trump another big loss. I stand with David Hoag. It's time for the younger generation to take the reins. We haven't done such a great job. Listening to the responses out there even in Red states to Bernie and AOC I have hope again.
First sentence of first article states: "David Hogg, a controversial Democratic National Committee vice chair, is pledging to upend Democratic primaries by funding candidates who will challenge “ineffective, asleep-at-the-wheel” Democrats." "Ineffective, asleep-at-the-wheel" Democrats.
He has effectively stated that if Democrats in those safe blue seats don't stand up and fight, they're going to be primaried - as they should be. “We need people, regardless of their age, that are here to fight.”
He's right.
I hear you, but worry that we will end up LOSING those "safe" seats. I think our time and money is better spent going after winnable Rethuglican seats. We need to win the House majority, and we already HAVE the safe seats.
In Georgia, independent of Hogg's proposal, David Scott already has two primary challengers for next year. Scott is physically and mentally unfit for office. But he'd win next year. One of his challengers (and we don't know who will win the primary) has a huge chance of losing the seat to the Republicans.
We can do both. This could be the biggest midterm election of our time and we need to pull out all stops.
The status quo ain't quo no mo... If younger people are not energized, we can kiss it all goodbye.
With all my heart and soul I hope you're right that we can walk and chew gum at the same time.
I listened to James Carville yesterday talking about David Hogg and wanting young Democrats to run against incumbents. He had the same take on it as you but having listened to David Hogg over the years, his main issue is money/lobbyists in politics. I think when he states he wants to primary incumbents who aren't doing anything about the current daily disasters, he sees it as them more worried about losing their extra money source. I think you are right. Now is NOT the time to run younger Democrats against incumbents. We have to worry more about getting the majority in both Houses before Trump collapses our democracy but Hogg is 100% correct about getting $$$$ out of politics. Even though Musk's candidate lost, I think Elon putting millions into the Wisconsin Supreme Court seat opened a lot of eyes to how far people will go to buy an election. If Hogg wants Democrats to fight right now, his main concerns should be that there are election in 26' and the laws that are trying to keep disenfranchising more and more voters.
As I'm sure you've heard me say, elections are won house by house, person by person, and block by block. For large elections, when people are able to spend on TV, radio and social media, there is a benefit to have enough (though not too much) money to get one's message out. But in most elections, including House elections, what matters is getting candidates in front of voters.
And I am dismayed that people are all concerned with 2026, when we have elections in 2025 -- and these are really easy to win if candidates remember that most people (HONEST -- MOST PEOPLE) do not know there ARE elections in odd-numbered years. If you can talk to them, they are the lowest hanging fruit to get to the polls and win elections.
Totally agree. We will need experienced Dems to rebuild the government from the catastrophe of musk, Trump, and Project 2025. I would hope the party is actively planning how to rebuild a leaner but more effective government. This would be a great project for younger Democrats in coordination with older and wiser heads
In the past, we built our base of candidates by mentoring them, and having people learn by being on school boards, city councils, and other local positions, then county, then state, then Federal. This was incredibly effective in terms of the legislative skills, fundraising skills, and interactivity skills that people learned. That's changed in the past 10 years or so....and it's not been working.
You did a better job expressing my views on the subject than I ever did or could. Consider that we won a race for Congress in NYC and Westchester County after accomplished moderate County Executive Latimer defeated ultra liberal incumbent Bowman and went on to election to Congress in a race that alarm bell ringer Bowman could have lost to a popular Republican challenger.
Bowman WOULD have lost. Glad I could crystallize thoughts that resonated with you.
Not surprising coming from David Hogg. yes we do need young blood in Democratic party .But he is an idiot. We should be focusing on getting the GQP seats who are vulnerable thats Why I m donating to swing left. They have a plan to get the house back.
I'm going to look into that -- the last time Swing Left was running around my neighborhood, it wasn't good, but hopefully they've grown.
It does look like matter of when the orange menace crashes the economy of Texas is when we can flip the senate as well
https://swingleft.org/house
Calling David Hogg an idiot is so disrepectful to a man who survived a mass school shooting and then watched as his country did NOTHING (again).
Young people are angry. They're angry about climate change, Gaza, student load debt, the high housing costs, wage stagnation, and rising costs of living. The chances of him trying to primary AOC and Bernie are slim to none. Have you seen the crowds those two are drawing? The message isn't about age - it's about policies that don't work. It just so happens the people they're angry with ARE the fossils who are clinging desperately to their jobs.
I say turn it over to the youth of this country. We had our turn and look where we are. They are the future of this country. We are the past.
I NEVER called him an idiot. I have great sympathy for all he endured. Especially when he was doxxed and targeted, and as awful as that was, he maintained outward humor. For example, when accused of being paid by Soros as an actor, and not a victim, he said "No one who ever saw me play Tevya in Fiddler would think anyone would pay me to act." I have great respect for what he and his associates did relative to trying to change gun laws in Florida.
While I agree that we need youth to step up, I honestly believe that there are better ways to accomplish their ends than challenging incumbent Democrats -- for example, running candidates against Republicans in purple districts where we have a chance to pick up seats. Winning the majority in the House should be our goal for next year.
I never said you called him an idiot but another commenter did and you let it slide. It's one thing to not agree with him and quite another to sling dirt. They don't want to be mentored by anyone. Who mentored us in 60"s? We took our beliefs and pushed forward. You can't keep sitting them at the children's table and expect them to listen.
To Victor and Linda -- I "like" posts more as "I saw it" than "I agree" -- it's like a check mark for me, although sometimes I miss doing it. But going forward, I will cease liking posts.
Barb called him an idiot and you "liked" her post. Very disappointing to me. If we don't listen to the millions of young people who are being mocked, dismissed, and/or criticized by the old guard, we are doomed. I think his announcement was meant to be a wake-up call to the DNC to take them seriously.
To Victor and Linda -- I "like" posts more as "I saw it" than "I agree" -- it's like a check mark for me, although sometimes I miss doing it. But going forward, I will cease liking posts.
I am probably in the minority. At 71 I am not a fan of the DNC as they push for centrists such as Hillary and Kamala while holding back people like Bernie and AOC. Let's be honest race aside, America does not seems to favor female presidents. The DNC should have learned their lesson with Hilary who lost to Trump. But no they pushed Kamala through without a primary against Trump another big loss. I stand with David Hoag. It's time for the younger generation to take the reins. We haven't done such a great job. Listening to the responses out there even in Red states to Bernie and AOC I have hope again.
KEEP HOPE ALIVE!