Former President Donald Trump participated in a secretive donor meeting hosted by the Rockbridge Network, a conservative group that is working to build a new infrastructure to support the changing Republican Party. The event took place at Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, with about 250 attendees who are tech-populist leaning and have embraced Trump’s impact on the GOP. Despite Trump’s absence due to his hush money trial in New York, his son Donald Trump Jr. and his co-campaign managers, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, were present at the meeting. Rockbridge, founded in 2019, is relatively unknown in Republican politics but is believed to have tens of millions of dollars in funding and is aligned with Trump, in contrast to some older GOP donor groups.
Rockbridge sees itself as a counter to traditional conservative organizations that have not shifted to support the GOP’s changing base, which is now more middle- and working-class. The organization was created by Ohio Senator JD Vance and Chris Buskirk, with involvement from billionaire Peter Thiel, among others. They aim to capitalize on the GOP’s shift by providing support where traditional organizations have not. The group’s recent gathering at Mar-a-Lago featured a mix of new and old-school GOP donors, including well-known figures like Rebekah Mercer, Woody Johnson, and Leonard Leo, as well as individuals from the tech world and other sectors who are looking to invest in new political avenues.
One of Rockbridge’s major projects for 2024 is voter registration, with a focus on targeting new registrants and engaging them on important issues. The organization registered 125,000 voters in 2023 and aims to double that number in 2024. This effort could be crucial for Trump’s potential reelection, as a recent NBC News poll shows him leading among respondents who did not vote in the previous elections. Rockbridge hopes to engage these new voters and increase turnout in support of Trump. The network also serves as a platform for idea exchange and collaboration, with projects like Omeed Malik’s fund 1789 Capitol, which is backing Tucker Carlson’s new media venture.
While Rockbridge’s role in wider Republican circles remains unclear to some, the organization has caught the attention of Trump and his campaign leaders, indicating its potential influence on the 2024 election. Despite its secretive nature and relative anonymity in the mainstream political arena, Rockbridge is positioning itself as a key player in supporting Trump’s candidacy and working to secure his reelection. The group’s focus on building a fresh infrastructure for the Republican Party, targeting new voters, and collaborating with diverse donors suggests a unique approach to supporting the GOP’s evolving base and engaging with potential supporters in the upcoming election.
