TOMS RIVER, NJ – David Hogg is coming to the heart of red New Jersey next week to talk to college students at Ocean County College in Toms River about his plan to make gun ownership illegal across the United States. Hogg is taking the message to one of the most conservative parts of the Garden State.
Pushback and protests are expected as Ocean County is the “Trumpiest” county in New Jersey, and gun rights are staunchly supported by elected officials from the municipal government to federal government in this area.
At the time of this writing, no GOP candidates for governor have mentioned Hogg’s event, leaving Hogg’s appearance in Ocean County completely unchecked.
Hogg, the newly appointed Vice Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and prominent gun control advocate, is set to deliver a controversial address at Ocean County College’s Grunin Center on Thursday, March 27, 2025. The event, scheduled for 11 a.m. in the Gateway Lecture Hall (Building 101), has already sparked heated debate due to Hogg’s reported intention to call for Americans to be stripped of their firearms.
Longtime gun rights activist and New Jersey candidate for governor Joseph Rudy Rullo is calling on New Jerseyans to show their solidarity for the constitution and the second amendement.
“David Hogg is America’s anti second-amendment poster child and icon,” Rullo said. “I call on all gun owners, Republicans, conservatives, and Trump supporters to show Hogg that he and his agenda are not welcome here. In fact, anyone who supports our constitution needs to let Mr. Hogg that his brand of gun grabbing is not what Americans voted for in 2024.”
The Grunin Center is named in honor of the Grunin Foundation, a philanthropic organization. Jeremy Grunin, a former candidate for political office in Toms River serves as President of the board of that foundation.
Hogg, best known for his activism following the tragic 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 of his classmates and teachers were killed, has long been a polarizing figure in the national gun control debate. Now, as a rising star in Democratic politics, his rhetoric appears to be intensifying. Sources close to the event suggest Hogg will argue that private firearm ownership poses an unacceptable risk to public safety and that drastic measures are needed to curb gun violence in the United States.
The event, part of the Blauvelt Speaker Series, is free to the public but requires advance registration through grunincenter.org. As of March 16, the lecture hall was fully booked, though cancellations could open up spots. For those unable to attend in person, the college will offer a free livestream of the speech, accessible via the same website with registration.
Hogg’s activism began in the wake of the Parkland shooting, when he and fellow students founded March For Our Lives, a movement aimed at ending mass shootings and promoting gun safety legislation. Just weeks after the tragedy, Hogg spoke to an estimated 800,000 people at the March For Our Lives rally in Washington, D.C., declaring, “The sun shines on a new day – and it is ours!” Since then, he has met with affected families, engaged with diverse communities, and co-authored two bestselling books: #NeverAgain with his sister Lauren Hogg, and A Glimmer of Hope: How Tragedy Sparked a Movement.
After graduating from Harvard University in 2023, Hogg founded “Leaders We Deserve,” a grassroots organization focused on electing young progressive candidates to public office. The group has gained significant traction on social media, where Hogg amplifies his calls for civic engagement, voting, and sweeping policy changes—including his increasingly bold stance on gun control.
Hogg’s upcoming speech has already drawn sharp criticism from Second Amendment advocates. Local gun rights groups in New Jersey have vowed to protest the event, arguing that Hogg’s proposal to disarm Americans infringes on constitutional rights and ignores the needs of law-abiding citizens who rely on firearms for self-defense. “David Hogg may have a platform, but he doesn’t speak for us,” said Tom Rivera, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Firearms Coalition. “His radical ideas are an attack on freedom.”
Supporters, however, see Hogg’s visit as a rallying cry for change. “He’s a voice for a generation tired of living in fear of gun violence,” said Emily Carter, a student organizer at Ocean County College. “This isn’t about taking rights away—it’s about saving lives.”
As the March 27 event approaches, Hogg’s appearance is poised to reignite one of America’s most divisive debates. Whether his call to strip Americans of their firearms gains traction or fuels a backlash, the DNC Vice Chairman’s words are sure to resonate far beyond the walls of the Gateway Lecture Hall.
