Rockbridge Network
The Rockbridge Network is a rightwing group founded in 2019 by JD Vance and Chris Buskirk.
The formation of Rockbridge is part of a surge in secretive pro-Trump funding coalitions, The New York Times reports. According to a Rockbridge brochure circulated in 2022, the group describes itself as “a kind of political venture capital firm” that will “leverage our investors’ capital with the right political expertise” to “replace the current Republican ecosystem of think tanks, media organizations and activist groups that have contributed to the Party’s decline with better action-oriented, more effective people and institutions that are focused on winning.”[1]
Reuters describes the Rockbridge Network as "a Silicon Valley-backed donor organization to finance right-wing news stories, voter turnout operations and election polls with a goal of spreading U.S. President Donald Trump’s brand of nationalism."[2]
Contents
News and Controversies
Rockbridge Meets to Discuss 2024 Strategy
In April 2024, Rockbridge hosted an event at the Palm Beach Four Seasons and Trump's Mar-a-Lago club to outline their 2024 programming goals, NBC reports. A major focus was voter registration, with the group aiming to double the 125,000 new voters they registered in 2023. Their strategy includes a targeted outreach program based on key issues that matter to new voters and an "ambassador" model, where each organizer is responsible for engaging and building relationships with ten new voters.[3]
Donald Trump spoke over video call as he was unable to attend because of his New York trial. Other attendees included Rebekah Mercer, Woody Johnson, Leonard Leo, cryptocurrency luminary Erik Voorhees, and former Uber executive Emil Michael.[3]
Project Areas
According to a Rockbridge prospectus handed out to members ahead of an April 2024 meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, Rockbridge oversees five political groups and a super PAC focusing on "financing right-wing investigative reporting, underwriting polls, turning out voters in battleground states and spurring churchgoers into political activism", Reuters reports.[2]
- Better Tomorrow and Over the Horizon are focused on increasing voter turnout in seven swing states.
- Faithful in Action has over 160,000 members and aims to involve Christians in politics.
- Firebrand Action, a media and news company and Revitalization Partners, a charitable investment account, support investigative journalism and public polling.
Funding
Rockbridge does not disclose its donors and is not required to reveal them, but Reuters reports the group has around 150 to 200 members with membership dues ranging from $100,000 to $1 million. In 2024, it's budget was between $70 million and $80 million. Sources report that financial backers include Peter Thiel, Blake Masters, Omeed Malik, and Rebekah Mercer.[2]
References
- ↑ Kenneth P. Vogel, Shane Goldmacher and Ryan Mac, Dissatisfied With Their Party, Wealthy Republican Donors Form Secret Coalitions, The New York Times, April 6, 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Alexandra Ulmer and Aram Roston, Tech donor network co-founded by JD Vance seeks to push America to the right, Reuters August 21, 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dasha Burns, Secretive conservative donor group meets to draw up 2024 plans — with a call-in from Trump, NBC News, April 24, 2024.
