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In yet another existential crisis of leadership, the Democratic Party has made a move so tone-deaf that it may be time to write its epitaph. The cacophony of accusations — misogyny and racism being blamed for Kamala Harris’ failed presidential bid — has been loud and persistent. One would think that, after careful consideration, the party would recalibrate toward the political center to improve its chances of winning in 2026 and 2028. Unfortunately, that is far from the case.
On Saturday, February 1, the DNC elected its new leadership, and the results are in: the Democratic Party is DOA. Malcolm Kenyatta and David Hogg were elected to two of the three vice-chair positions. I focus on these two appointments for reasons that will soon become clear. While both men embody the Democratic Party’s far-left ideologies, they are far from representative of where the majority of Americans stand, as reflected in the 2024 presidential election.
Malcolm Kenyatta is a legislator currently serving in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. In 2023, President Joe Biden appointed him chair of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans. He was also the first openly Black LGBTQ+ candidate to seek a U.S. Senate seat. Over the years, Kenyatta has held various positions in Pennsylvania’s government. He lives in North Philadelphia with his husband, Dr. Matthew Kenyatta, and their dog, Cleo.
David Hogg rose to national prominence as a survivor of the Parkland High School shooting, the deadliest school shooting in American history. Since then, he has co-founded several organizations advocating for gun control. He has supported the "defund the police" movement, opposes the Second Amendment, and is, in many ways, a personification of the progressive far left.
These two men could not be more emblematic of the forces driving the country’s anti-progressive backlash—yet both are now vice-chairs of the Democratic National Committee. At just 24 years old, Hogg is not even eligible to run for a congressional seat, as the minimum age requirement is 25. While his passion is undeniable, he lacks the life experience necessary for national governance. Meanwhile, 34-year-old Malcolm Kenyatta — a Black, gay, married man — is expected to serve as an ambassador for the DNC to inner-city Black communities. Is this the figure the party believes will convince young urban Black men, and Black men in general, to return to the Democratic fold?
I hold no personal animus toward either of these men or, in Kenyatta’s case, his lifestyle. But I must ask: Why has the Democratic Party so thoroughly abandoned pragmatism in favor of ideological purity? What compels it to appease the smallest, most fringe elements of its base at the expense of the broad majorities necessary to regain power? Has it trapped itself in an echo chamber that ensures only further losses and marginalization?
The answer, unfortunately, is yes.