No, Hogg wasn’t trying to primary moderates. He was advocating for challenges to out-of-step incumbents in deep blue districts. Like I said: people coasting on seniority while being wildly out of sync with the values and urgency of their own constituents. That’s not ideological purging, it’s just basic accountability in a democratic system.
Framing it as an attack on “moderates” obscures the actual dynamic. The real issue isn’t ideology, it’s stagnation and insulation. The response from party leadership (pushing him out) only reinforces the point that new voices, especially those with grassroots energy, aren’t welcome unless they come pre-approved.
As for Weingarten, shrugging off her statement is a mistake. It’s not like she’s some fringe figure. She’s been one of the most loyal institutional players in the party for decades. When someone like her steps away citing concerns about the tent shrinking, it’s not just symbolic; it’s a signal. Something’s breaking.
No one’s calling for a purity purge. But when longtime allies like Weingarten start walking away and younger activists get pushed out, it’s worth asking why the party keeps closing ranks instead of opening up.
You don’t have to like intraparty battles, but when the party leadership actively punishes new energy and dismisses public dissent, that’s not “avoiding conflict,” it’s enforcing stasis.