The Democrats are having a bad time. They don’t know how to get their footing.
And now this brand new fundraising report could be a nail in the coffin of the Democrat Party.
Democrats’ Leadership Woes Deepen as Hogg’s PAC Flounders
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is grappling with a mounting crisis, as former vice chair David Hogg’s ambitious Political Action Committee (PAC), “Leaders We Deserve,” stumbles far short of its lofty $20 million fundraising goal. Federal Election Commission records for May reveal a paltry $1.5 million in cash on hand, exposing the PAC’s inability to gain traction since its inception two years ago, according to the New York Post.
Hogg, a polarizing figure among Democrats, launched his $20 million initiative in April to back primary challenges against over a dozen congressional Democrats he accused of being asleep at the wheel. The move was seen as a bold, if reckless, attempt to shake up a party already reeling from internal strife and external pressures. Yet, the PAC’s meager fundraising—$848,000 last month, with $798,000 spent mostly on operational costs—suggests Hogg’s crusade is more bluster than substance.
Only $6,000 of the PAC’s recent expenditures went to candidates, raising eyebrows among party insiders. “David Hogg spent his spring on a kamikaze mission right towards the heart of the Party to raise money for his PAC and, as it turns out, he spent more money on consultants pitching negative stories on the Party than on candidates actually trying to run and win campaigns,” an unnamed Democratic strategist told the Post. “That’s the definition of a grift right there, and should be a red flag for every donor, candidate, and activist that he’s already fooled.”
The DNC, sensing the threat of Hogg’s primary campaign tearing the party apart, unceremoniously ousted him in June. The move, while decisive, did little to quell the growing discontent within the party’s ranks. Current DNC chairman Ken Martin is now under fire, with several committee members anonymously slamming him as “weak and whiny” and his leadership “disappointing,” according to Politico. The knives are out, but the attacks remain cloaked in the kind of backroom gossip with the party in disarray.
Compounding the leadership turmoil is the DNC’s dire financial situation. Donations have dwindled, leaving the committee so cash-strapped that officials are reportedly considering borrowing funds to keep operations running. The contrast with a resurgent Republican Party, led by a combative Donald Trump, could not be starker. Trump’s political machine continues to dominate, while Democrats struggle to find their footing.
Rahm Emanuel, a seasoned Democratic operative and former Obama chief of staff, laid bare the party’s failures in a scathing assessment. “We’re in the most serious existential crisis with Donald Trump both at home and abroad — and with the biggest political opportunity in a decade. And the DNC has spent six months on a firing squad in the circle, and can’t even fire a shot out. And Trump’s world is a target-rich environment,” he told Politico. His words highlight a party paralyzed by infighting and unable to capitalize on political openings.
The Democrats’ attempts to regain relevance among younger voters have been equally lackluster. Enter the “Daily Blueprint,” a YouTube podcast launched in a desperate bid to reconnect with the Gen Z audience that drifted away in the 2024 election. The effort has flopped spectacularly, with viewership numbers so low that a single X post from the Trump War Room account outdrew the podcast’s entire catalog, as noted by the Free Beacon’s Andrew Kerr.
The party’s digital strategy, or lack thereof, reveals a deeper disconnect. While Trump’s camp thrives in the online arena, bolstered by influencers and a relentless social media presence, Democrats are banking on initiatives like the “Daily Blueprint” that fail to resonate. The idea that a DNC-backed podcast could sway young voters seems almost laughably out of touch.
Hogg’s PAC, meanwhile, continues to burn through funds with little to show for it. The $1.5 million in cash on hand is a far cry from the $20 million he promised, and the PAC’s spending priorities—favoring consultants over candidates—have fueled accusations of mismanagement. The strategist’s charge of a “grift” looms large, casting doubt on Hogg’s credibility and the party’s ability to nurture effective leaders.
The DNC’s financial woes are a symptom of core dysfunction. With donations drying up, the party faces the humiliating prospect of taking on debt to sustain itself. This fiscal precarity, combined with Martin’s embattled leadership, paints a grim picture of a party adrift, unable to mount a coherent challenge to Trump’s dominance.
Democrats’ hopes of regaining ground may hinge on unlikely scenarios, such as pro-Trump influencers like Theo Von abruptly switching allegiances and bringing their audiences with them. Relying on such a pivot, however, details the party’s desperation and lack of a viable strategy to rebuild its coalition.
The Republicans’ ability to command attention online and in the real world exposes Democrats’ failure to adapt to a rapidly changing political landscape. With Hogg’s PAC faltering and Martin’s leadership under siege, the party’s path forward remains murky at best.
