Rockbridge Network

NBC News: "under-the-radar, new-age conservative group that sees itself as the leading edge of a changing Republican Party" Co-founded by Vice President-elect JD Vance. The group, which was co-founded five years ago by JD Vance, sprouted from an informal set of dinners into a powerful coalition of Republican donors who have given more than $100 million to Rockbridge projects since 2019, according to a person close to the group, helping lead Silicon Valley’s march to the right. For Rockbridge, Mr. Vance’s election as vice president was a crowning achievement — and a tantalizing opportunity to wield new national influence. But Rockbridge has largely kept its activities stealthy, mindful of how groups of wealthy conservatives like the Koch Network have drawn attacks from both liberal detractors and Republican wannabes. Rockbridge, according to literature distributed to donors in 2024, “builds lasting political infrastructure” and “strives to replace the current Republican ecosystem of think tanks, media organizations and activist groups that have contributed to the party’s decline.” The ambition is palpable, but some longtime attendees privately question whether the group has come close to delivering on those goals. Rockbridge membership ranges from $100,000 to be a “limited partner” to $1,000,000 for a “principal partner,” according to a prospectus seen by The New York Times. That money goes toward the eight vehicles that Rockbridge steers, including four dark-money 501(c)(4) organizations, two super PACs, a donor-advised 501(c)(3) fund for nonprofit activity and the Rockbridge Network umbrella organization, an L.L.C. Mr. Buskirk’s main super PAC, Turnout for America, has raised at least $25 million this year. Buskirk told donors that during the campaign, Rockbridge had about 3,000 people in the field working on Trump’s behalf. After the Republican victory, Mr. Buskirk said, it was time for Rockbridge projects to grow even bigger.