David Hogg, Parkland shooting survivor, establishes organization to mentor a “new generation” in politics

Former Parkland student and activist David Hogg is launching a new grassroots organization called Leaders We Deserve with the goal of getting more young people into political office. Hogg, who survived the Parkland school shooting in 2018, cites the tragedy as a major motivator for his involvement in politics. The 23-year-old wants to use his advocacy to help young, progressive candidates across the country get elected to state legislatures and the U.S. Congress.

Hogg founded Leaders We Deserve with Kevin Lata, who previously served as the campaign manager for Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first Gen Z member of Congress. Lata believes that there is a pathway for young people to win elections and wants to export that success to elect a new generation of young leaders. Currently, Gen Z and millennials make up 45% of the electorate but only hold 21% of state legislature seats. The Leaders We Deserve PAC and SuperPAC plan to work with 15-30 candidates under the age of 30 in key states like Florida, Texas, and Georgia.

Hogg emphasizes the importance of state legislatures in shaping policies such as abortion bans and gun laws. He believes that change must come from both the outside and inside game, meaning that activists need to hold politicians accountable while also having young leaders in office who can directly influence policy decisions.

The ultimate goal of Leaders We Deserve is to build a pipeline of young leaders who can eventually run for higher state or federal office. The organization will provide support to prospective candidates in various campaign strategies, including fundraising and endorsements. Lata highlights the challenges that young candidates face when starting out, such as a lack of fundraising and political connections, as well as the basics of running a campaign.

Hogg is no stranger to activism, having previously co-founded March for Our Lives, a youth-driven movement that organized a massive anti-gun violence protest in Washington after the Parkland massacre. He believes that there are many charismatic and brilliant young people who have emerged from March for Our Lives and are now running for office, and he wants to help build a pathway for their success.

Leaders We Deserve already counts state representative Justin Jones, known as part of the “Tennessee Three,” among its board members. The organization hopes to expand its reach and impact by working with more young candidates and offering them the necessary resources to run successful campaigns.

In summary, David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland school shooting, has launched the grassroots organization Leaders We Deserve to help young, progressive candidates get elected to political office. The organization aims to address the underrepresentation of young people in state legislatures by working with candidates under 30 in key states. Hogg emphasizes the importance of both activism and young leaders in shaping policy decisions, and hopes to build a pipeline of young leaders for higher state or federal office. With the support of Leaders We Deserve, these candidates will receive assistance in various campaign strategies to overcome the challenges they face when starting out.

Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-08-09 11:09:44