A woman who lost out on becoming a Democratic National Committee vice chairperson to David Hogg is challenging her defeat.
The DNC’s Credentials Committee is expected to meet virtually on May 12 to consider the challenge from Kalyn Free, a Native American attorney whom Hogg defeated to become vice chairman, Semafor reported.
Free has argued she lost a “fatally flawed election that violated the DNC Charter and discriminated against three women of color candidates.” She is asking for two more DNC vice chairperson elections.
Hogg won his seat in February after several rounds of voting. The race came down to five candidates: Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta, who ultimately won their seats, Free, and two other women.
“By aggregating votes across ballots and failing to distinguish between gender categories in a meaningful way, the DNC’s process violated its own Charter and Bylaws, undermining both fairness and gender diversity,” Free reportedly argued in her complaint.
Hogg’s attorneys have argued that his win “was conducted in compliance with the rules in place at the time” and that it is “inappropriate to try to revise those rules or decisions after the fact through a credentials challenge.”
The 25-year-old gun control activist has received some backlash over his primary initiative to spend $20 million on electing younger politicians over longtime Democratic incumbents through his organization, Leaders We Deserve. DNC Chairman Ken Martin denounced Hogg’s move, saying, “No DNC officer should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election.”
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Still, Martin told the Washington Examiner that Hogg would not be removed from his post for doing so.
“That’s not my intention here. I like David Hogg. I think he’s an amazing young leader,” Martin said. “I hope he stays as a party officer.”