It was supposed to be the launchpad for David Hogg’s new PAC and a fresh-faced takeover of the Democratic establishment. Instead, it turned into a humiliating defeat.
Foxx Falls Flat, Grijalva Wins Big
In Tuesday’s special primary election in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, Adelita Grijalva, daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva, steamrolled the competition with 62% of the vote. Her closest challenger, 25-year-old activist Deja Foxx, backed by Hogg’s Leaders We Deserve PAC, didn’t even come close—finishing with a meager 21%.
This district is so safely Democrat that the general election in September is essentially a formality. The real contest was the primary—and Foxx got blown out.
Hogg’s $20 Million Strategy Already Failing
David Hogg, ousted from his role as DNC vice chair, had pitched Foxx as part of a new plan to replace seasoned Democrats with younger, far-left social media darlings. He called Foxx an underdog “ready to fight” after overcoming adversity.
It wasn’t good news for the David Hogg-backed candidate Deja Foxx as the votes came in Tuesday night in the race to be the Democrat nominee to fill Arizona’s 7th Congressional District seat. pic.twitter.com/qoJUh10eUw
— MickiAnn (@MickiAnnOH) July 17, 2025
But voters weren’t sold.
Foxx, best known for viral videos and abortion rights activism as a teen, lacked the experience, endorsements, and credibility to sway Democrats—even in a progressive district. Her only real “qualification” was being famous on Instagram.
Even the Far Left Went with Grijalva
Foxx tried to paint herself as an outsider like New York’s Zohran Mamdani, but the comparison fell apart fast. Adelita Grijalva had already locked down endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders—the same figures Foxx’s camp needed to stay competitive.
Crisis actor from California, David Hogg who became a superstar after pretending to be at a school shooting and owns several AK-47’s, is now the DNC Vice Chair.
This is the Democrats “best of their best”! 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/g7GTSCPOKi
— Zade Smith (@ZadeSmith4) February 2, 2025
Even Washington Post analysts noted that the “anti-establishment” model didn’t work here, and that Foxx’s campaign lacked any real path to victory.
Internet Clout Isn’t Real Power
Despite boasting that polling showed her “within striking distance,” Foxx’s defeat was not even close. The result left many questioning Hogg’s political instincts and whether his PAC is already a failed experiment.
In the end, this race was less about Foxx and more about Hogg’s crumbling brand. The PAC he founded to reshape the Democratic Party just suffered its first major embarrassment—and his reputation may never recover.
When the smoke cleared, the only thing voters rejected harder than Foxx was David Hogg’s political judgment.