Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville is torching DNC Vice Chair David Hogg, slamming the 25-year-old progressive activist for actively working to unseat sitting Democrats. In a no-holds-barred interview, Carville referred to Hogg as a “contemptible little twerp” and accused him of turning the Democratic Party into a circular firing squad.
At the center of the controversy is Hogg’s group, Leaders We Deserve, which has announced plans to spend $20 million backing far-left primary challengers to incumbent Democrats in deep-blue districts. Hogg, who rose to fame as a gun control activist after the Parkland shooting, now holds a powerful position within the DNC while simultaneously targeting members of his own party.
Carville, the legendary strategist who helped elect Bill Clinton, isn’t holding back. “Why doesn’t somebody sue David Hogg?” Carville asked during a heated appearance on NewsNation. “He’s an officer of the Democratic National Committee and he’s running against other Democrats. If you were on the board of Apple and invested in Microsoft, they’d call it a conflict of interest.”
In which James Carville calls DNC Vice Chair David Hogg “a contemptible little twerp” for reportedly supporting efforts to primary sitting Democrats
“I don’t know if I have standing, but I might give the DNC $10 to sue him. He’s a contemptible little twerp if you ask me.” pic.twitter.com/D0TrZT59g0
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 17, 2025
Hogg has defended the effort by saying it’s time to replace “ineffective” Democrats with younger, more progressive leaders. But Carville and other establishment Democrats see it as self-destructive and politically naive. “We’ve got an election to win,” Carville said. “And this little clown wants to waste $20 million attacking his own team.”
The internal feud highlights the widening chasm between the Democratic Party’s old guard and its activist wing. Hogg’s allies argue that challenging stale incumbents is essential to modernizing the party. But critics warn that the effort plays directly into Republican hands by diverting resources and exposing ideological fractures at the worst possible time.
Carville also took aim at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, accusing them of encouraging infighting instead of focusing on defeating Republicans. “They care more about winning arguments inside the party than winning elections,” he said.
Many Democrats are quietly worried that Hogg’s dual role—serving as a high-ranking DNC official while funding campaigns against fellow Democrats—raises serious ethical questions. Some are even calling for him to resign from his DNC position or step away from his activist group to avoid what they view as an irreconcilable conflict of interest.
As the party faces critical races in 2026 and beyond, this fight may prove more than just a personality clash—it could be a defining moment in the battle over the Democratic Party’s future direction. For now, one thing is clear: the honeymoon between Hogg and the Democratic establishment is over.