Campaign Hogg’s political group makes endorsements in Utah, New York House races by Caroline Vakil - 03/12/26 6:00 AM ET by Caroline Vakil - 03/12/26 6:00 AM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING Leaders We Deserve, the political group co-founded by gun control activist David Hogg, has endorsed state Sen. Nathan Blouin (D) and state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez in open primaries for House seats in Utah and New York, respectively.  Blouin is running in a crowded primary field for The Beehive State’s  newly drawn Salt Lake City-based 1st Congressional District . Other contenders include former Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah), tax attorney Michael Farrell, former state Sen. Derek Kitchen (D), state Sen. Kathleen Riebe and Salt Lake City Councilwoman Eva Lopez Chavez, among others.   Meanwhile, Valdez, who helms an Assembly district in Queens, is running for retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s (D-N.Y.) seat, which represents portions of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.   The Democratic primary for Velázquez’s seat is also crowded. While Valdez has support from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has the backing of Velázquez, New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Working Families Party in the race. Blouin and Valdez both lauded Hogg’s organization in separate brief interviews on Wednesday.   “David has not been afraid to challenge the party establishment,” Blouin said. “Leaders We Deserve has not been afraid to challenge the party establishment. I have not been afraid to challenge the party establishments, and I think we need more people who are speaking up.”  Valdez said she was “excited” and “honored” to have the group’s endorsement.  Hogg has become an influential voice in the Democratic Party’s debate over generational change, as some party members argue that some incumbents haven’t done enough to combat President Trump’s agenda or have simply been in Congress too long.    Recent special elections and primaries have also underscored growing tensions around the party’s direction, with progressive and centrist candidates offering competing visions. “It’s important that we have a new generation of leaders who are ready to step up,” Valdez said.   “The stability that I think former generations were able to attain just isn’t possible now, and a lot of that is an outgrowth of corporate greed in the United States, stagnant wages and we won’t take it anymore,” she added. “We’re ready to fight for more.” Add as preferred source on Google Tags Ben McAdams David Hogg Letitia James Nydia Velazquez Shawn Fain Zohran Mamdani Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More Campaign News See All Campaign Ex-DOJ attorney who complained about ICE enforcement in court launches primary challenge against Ilhan Omar by Sarah Davis 8 hours ago Campaign  /  8 hours ago