David Hogg stepped down from party leadership after he was elected DNC vice chair earlier this year. (GABY VELASQUEZ/ EL PASO TIMES / USA TODAY NETWORK)
DNC Chair Ken Martin celebrated her win, describing Conrad as a "trailblazer who understands the importance of championing our communities and doing the hard work on the ground to help Democrats win up and down the ballot."
DNC CHAIR RIPPED DAVID HOGG OVER PARTY INFIGHTING IN LEAKED MEETING AUDIO: 'REALLY FRUSTRATING'
Kenyatta told Fox News Digital after Hogg's exit that the re-election drama has prevented the DNC from being "singularly focused."
"We've spent a lot of time talking about procedural nonsense within the DNC. I promise you nobody cares about that, and nobody wants to talk about it as little as I do. I want us to get refocused," Kenyatta said.
Hogg agreed, writing in a lengthy X statement that he was stepping down from the DNC, "so the party can focus on what really matters."
But Hogg ignited internal Democratic Party divisions this year through his $20 million plan to primary challenge vulnerable incumbent Democrats he said were "asleep at the wheel." The plan, through his outside political action group, Leaders We Deserve, exposed an apparent rift with Martin, who gave Hogg the ultimatum to either forego his political influence through his PAC or give up his DNC leadership position.
Randi Weingarten, then-President of the American Federation of Teachers, reacts in front of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 26, 2023. (Reuters)
Hogg's decision to leave the DNC followed a damning Politico report, which included leaked audio from a Zoom meeting of Martin lamenting over Hogg's fallout at the DNC, claiming it had made it harder for Democrats to do their jobs and for Martin to demonstrate his ability to lead.
"I don’t think you intended this, but you essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to. So, it’s really frustrating," Martin said.
The DNC on Friday touted raising nearly $40 million in its first four months under Martin, which the committee credited to "grassroots donors who are fired up to elect Democrats and defeat Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans’ billionaire-first agenda."
"Powered by our grassroots community, the DNC has just set a new record for most money raised in the first four months under a new Chair — ever. What matters is winning elections, making Democrats competitive everywhere, expanding our tent, and putting our party on the right path," Martin said, in part.
Free submitted her complaint following the DNC's Feb. 1 officer elections, in which Hogg and Kenyatta were elected vice chairs. She claimed the DNC's tabulation method violated the charter's provision and parliamentary procedure and "discriminated against three women of color candidates."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"This was never about Malcolm Kenyatta or David Hogg," Free told Fox News Digital after the Credentials Committee elevated her complaint before the full DNC. "For me, this was about ensuring that the Democratic Party lives up to our ideals as the only political party to believe in and stand up for election integrity and a free and fair democracy."
The Democratic Party maintained that the vice-chair re-election had nothing to do with the primary controversy Hogg stirred up earlier this year, but Hogg slammed the vote as a "fast-track" effort to remove him from party leadership.
Fox News' Paige Dukeman contributed to this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dnc-elects-vice-chair-replace-david-hogg-democrat-party-rift-rages