() Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin made clear Thursday that “no DNC officer should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election whether on behalf of an incumbent or a challenger.”

His comments were made in response to David Hogg, the Parkland shooting survivor and gun control activist who currently serves as a vice chair of the DNC, threatening to support primary opponents for incumbents he believes are “ineffective.”

Martin said, “I have great respect for David Hogg. … I’ve said to him if you want to challenge incumbents, you’re more than free to do that. But not as an officer of the DNC. … You have to make a decision.” 

Hogg responded this afternoon on X, writing, “The fact that we spent 2 BILLION dollars and still lost an election to a convicted felon who literally attempted to overthrow our government must be a cause for serious reflection and a prime example of why change is so needed…We can’t fix a 27% approval rating by just changing our words. We need to change who we are.”

Hogg believes the DNC’s role is to strengthen the party and support the next presidential candidate, and believes his actions are in line with those goals.

Thursday’s back-and-forth makes clear that Democrats are still searching for a successful path forward.

The topic initially came up on a virtual call where the Democratic National Committee announced plans to significantly increase investments in state and territory parties to “turbocharge” Democratic power and help their candidates win races up and down the ballot. 

Martin was joined by Association of State Democratic Chairs President Jane Kleeb and former DNC Chair Howard Dean in announcing that the organization is making the following four-year commitment. 

In blue and purple states, the DNC will send state parties $17,500 per month, which is $ 5,000 more than they are currently receiving.

In red states, the DNC will send $22,500 per month, which is $5,000 more than the blue and purple states. Martin explained the reasoning, saying, “Democrats in red states are starting in a deeper hole with a lot less investment” due to disinvestment in the past.

Overall, the DNC plans to send over $1 million per month to state and territory parties. Kleeb said it takes the investment in state and territory parties from 8% of the DNC’s budget to 20%. The resources will enable Democrats to invest in critical infrastructure and staffing and develop plans over a four-year cycle rather than on a month-to-month basis.

The strategy is part of Martin’s plan to “organize everywhere, win anywhere,” with the intention of year-round organizing, something that was part of his platform when he ran for the chairmanship.

Dean, pioneer of the 50-state strategy when he was chair of the DNC between 2005 and 2009, endorsed today’s announcement, saying, “We have got to knock on every door and get people to run for the state legislature. We have to get people to run for school boards. We have to get people to run for city councils. That is going to rebrand the Democratic party…We cannot be a Washington-centric party and expect to win, especially when the ordinary working people of this country are so much under attack by the guy who many of them voted for.”

Martin views this money as an investment in the long-term success of the Democratic Party. He pointed out that due to population shifts, growth is occurring most in states such as Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Texas and Florida.

He said that in the next census in 2032, there will be a shift in congressional power from the North to the South: “We have to start moving the needle now or we’re going to be caught flat-footed … potentially being a permanent minority in the US House of Representatives.”