(DCNF)—Gun control activist David Hogg’s efforts to help revamp the Democratic Party have been off to a rocky start thus far and some fellow Democrats are noticing, the Washington Post reported on Friday.
Leaders We Deserve — a political organization co-founded by Hogg — announced in June that it was backing Irene Shin in the special election to replace late Democratic Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, and also privately vowed to shell out $400,000 to help get Shin elected, the Washington Post reported. Despite this, Leaders We Deserve backed out of its financial commitment just days later, multiple anonymous Democrats told the outlet.
One anonymous Democrat told the Washington Post that the situation was “shocking.” Leaders We Deserve notably did not explain its reasoning for reversing course on its financial commitment, the anonymous sources told the outlet. Shin went on to lose the June 28 Democratic Primary for the special election to James Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff, by a landslide margin of 45 percentage points.
Hogg was notably ousted from his position as a vice chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in June. His ouster came after he drew intense criticism from fellow Democrats for unveiling a plan in April for Leaders We Deserve to spend $20 million to primary “out-of-touch, ineffective” older House Democrats in 2026.
“He [Hogg], clearly, not the mission, is front and center. And much of this money seems to be going toward self-promotion,” New York state Sen. James Skoufis, who ran for DNC chair in early 2025, told the Washington Post. “It’s not what we need right now as a Democratic Party.”
Yet, Kenneth Pennington, the digital director for Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and a partner at Middle Seat, one of Leaders We Deserve’s top consultants, told the Washington Post that the group’s efforts to elect younger leaders are “very smart.”
“What Leaders We Deserve is doing is not only not unusual, it’s very smart,” Pennington told the outlet. “And because David’s message is catching on, they are seeing massive grassroots funding success.”
Leaders We Deserve describes itself as an organization “dedicated to electing young progressives to Congress and State Legislatures across the country to help defeat the far-right agenda.” Just four of the candidates that Leaders We Deserve listed on its website as 2024 endorsements actually won their campaigns, according to the Washington Post.
Leaders We Deserve’s 2026 endorsements featured on its website include far-left Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, as well as Deja Foxx, who lost to Adelita Grijalva in the July Democratic primary for the special election to replace Grijalva’s father, late Democratic Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Shin is also listed under the organization’s 2026 endorsements, along with Democratic Illinois State Sen. Robert Peters, who is running in a crowded primary for an open Chicago-area House seat in 2026.
Still, Hogg insisted that his group’s objective is “not to simply throw money at candidates and hope they win.”
“On top of that, we’re making major investments into our grassroots donor network and capacity ahead of the election year,” Hogg told the Washington Post.
The 25-year-old also told the outlet that Leaders We Deserve is working with dozens of 2026 Democratic candidates “launching their campaigns very soon.”
The report comes as many Democrats have been expressing the need for new, younger party leaders. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released June 19 found that 62% of Democrats said they agreed with a statement that “the leadership of the Democratic Party should be replaced with new people.”
Moreover, DNC Chair Ken Martin, who had clashed with Hogg during the activist’s tumultuous four-month tenure as one of Martin’s vice chairs, told Fox News in late July that while the Democratic Party has “hit rock bottom,” there is “only one direction to go, and that’s up.”
Leaders We Deserve did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.