2023 Fellowship Class
Tommy Altman
Chesapeake, VA
Tommy was born and raised in Chesapeake, Virginia. He married his high school sweetheart Krystal, and they have been married for 22 years. They have two sons, both of whom wrestle, and the oldest son ranked third place in the state this year as a sophomore. If not at work or a wrestling tournament, they travel a lot as a family. You can find Tommy on one of his motorcycles, on the golf course, hunting or enjoying a nice cigar. Sometimes, several of those at the same time.
After high school, Tommy went into the military. He served in the U.S. Air Force Special Operations with ground combat deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Shortly after returning from Iraq, he was medically separated and is currently a disabled veteran.
Tommy is a graduate of Regent University and an ordained minister. He and his wife moved to Las Vegas for three years to help start a church. While in Vegas, he became a tattoo artist. If you’re thinking a transition from being a pastor to a tattoo artist is unexpected, you are correct and his mother-in-law agrees.
Since then, the Altmans moved back home and have owned a small business for the past six years. For the past several years, Sandbridge Tattoo has been voted “the best tattoo studio” in all of Hampton Roads. Tommy considers it an honor to walk through the highs and lows of life with people in his community.
He currently works at a local financial advising firm. Though another career shift, he enjoys another way to help the people of his community by reaching their goals both financially and personally. One thing he learned in the military is that times of chaos are great opportunities to advance if we are thinking clearly enough to recognize them and being brave enough to step into them. Tommy believes the current state of the world presents a great opportunity for brave leaders to stand up and show we can advance together and make our nation once again the “shining city on a hill.”
Ben Baker
Neosho, MO
Representative Ben Baker, a Republican, represents Newton County (District 160) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2018.
In addition to his legislative duties, Baker is a lay minister, missionary, former professor, and former dean of students at Ozark Bible Institute in Neosho. He also owns a small construction business that specializes in artisan trim-work. Baker also served on the Neosho City Council and as mayor of Neosho.
Baker is a past church board member and also a past board president of Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center. He is also involved with Ozark Christian Missions and has led mission trips to India, Africa, and Central America. Representative Baker is also the Missouri state chair for the American Legislative Exchange Council.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ozark Bible Institute.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Baker currently resides in Neosho with his wife, Naomi, and their four daughters.
Jake Bequette
Little Rock, AR
An Arkansas native, Jake was a third-generation University of Arkansas football player, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and uncle. During his four years as a Razorback, Jake was an All-SEC defensive end, an Academic All-American, and the Defensive MVP of the 2012 Cotton Bowl Classic. Jake was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft and was a member of the Super Bowl XLIX championship team in 2014 before ending his successful run in the NFL the following year.
In 2017, Jake joined the military. He earned his commission as an Infantry Lieutenant in 2018, graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger School, and then deployed to Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division in 2019.
Upon returning home from Iraq and concluding his military career, in 2021 Jake launched The Arkansas Fund — a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses in Arkansas that were struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jake ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, and he currently resides in Arkansas.
Annie Black
Mesquite, NV
Annie spent her entire life in Las Vegas until crime and the poor education system drove her to search for a safer, simpler life for her two boys, Tommy (21) and Tyler (18), in Mesquite, Nevada. Her family has been in business there for many years and the town holds a special place in her heart.
Unfortunately, Mesquite businesses hadn’t quite bounced back to the boom days prior to the crash of 2008. Instead of spectating, Annie rolled up her sleeves and ran for the City Council. She had no staff and a small budget, but she won her election. Annie was one of only two republicans to win in Nevada in 2018.
On the city council, Annie promoted Mesquite businesses, fought red tape, supported law enforcement, and shook things up in the good ‘ole boys club. Annie is a fighter with the wins to show for it.
While Annie was serving in the Legislature, Democrats closed the People’s House and handed down mandates. Annie challenged the establishment, forcing Democrats to drop their mask mandate and reopen the legislature to the public.
Cindy Byrd
Coal County, OK
Cindy Byrd, CPA, is Oklahoma’s 13th State Auditor & Inspector and the first woman elected to serve as the taxpayer’s watchdog. A CPA with 26 years of government auditing experience, Cindy began her journey as an auditor in 1997. Cindy’s audits have identified millions of dollars in misappropriated tax dollars and waste of public funds at every level of government.
By the end of her first term, Cindy published more than 1400 audits including the following which garnered statewide, legislative, even national attention:
- A first of its kind Medicaid audit that revealed weak processes mandated by the federal government and $1.6 billion in expenditures made on behalf of recipients whose eligibility had not been determined.
- A public charter school audit that exposed tens of millions in misappropriated funds which received the 2022 Excellence in Accountability Award for Forensic Audit by the National State Auditor’s Association.
- An audit of COVID funds which reported millions in fraudulent unemployment claims.
Byrd is currently working on a forensic audit of the State Department of Education and is assisting in exposing mandates on ESG investments contrary to a recently passed law. Cindy is passionate about responsible government and strongly advocates for transparency and accountability in the receipt and expenditure of public funds. After all, it’s the people’s money and they deserve to know how it is spent.
Cindy and her husband Steve live in Coalgate located in Coal County, Oklahoma.
Jenny Clark
Scottsdale, AZ
Jenny Clark is the founder and executive director of Love Your School, a non-profit committed to educating families about all of their school options, providing personalized support to parents and supporting new education entrepreneurs and leaders. Jenny has her five children in a variety of school options and successfully launched and led a cottage school with other families for three years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She has helped families navigate the special education process for years and is passionate about families with learning disabilities, especially dyslexia given her family’s first hand experiences. Jenny turned her support and love for school choice into an organization that is uniquely parent-centric and positive. She loves highlighting the importance of education opportunities like ESAs and helping both parents and providers understand how education policies can impact and benefit their work.
Jenny launched the Love Your School Podcast, serves on the Arizona State Board of Education, is a member of AEI’s Conservative Education Reform Network and a board member of Phoenix Seminary. Jenny holds a BSBA in Business Economics from the University of Arizona and a Master of Divinity from Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY.
Mike Crispi
Weehawken, NJ
Mike Crispi is an experienced television reporter, talk show host, and businessman. After a decorated career as a college football player at Elon University, he enjoyed early success in the health insurance consulting business. Out of a genuine passion and love of country, he became engaged in politics with a mission to use his communication skills to further conservative causes he was passionate about.
He first gained political notoriety covering live grassroots events with Right Side Broadcasting Network to millions of viewers. He has interviewed the biggest names in conservative politics while also providing ground-breaking analysis on key stories well before it hit the mainstream.
After a strong showing running for US Congress in New Jersey in 2022, Crispi has returned to the airwaves and currently hosts one of the most popular daily political podcasts in the nation, “Mike Crispi Unafraid,” which is syndicated on The Salem Podcast Network, Salem News Channel, and LFA TV.
Emily Davis
Hillsdale, MI
Emily Stack Davis is the executive director of public relations and media outreach for Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. In that role, she has placed interviews, editorials, and commentary pieces in The Wall Street Journal, Fox Opinion, New York Times, Washington Examiner, and other national outlets to highlight the College’s mission and help to secure and defend its independence. Davis has executed media and public events for U.S. Supreme Court Justices and Vice Presidents. Her most significant projects have secured media placements and interviews during times of crisis, issues management, and legal challenges. Her civic work includes serving as county chair for U.S. Senate races, in leadership positions for regional
Republican groups, and as a member of the City Council. Prior to her career in higher education, Davis worked in healthcare fundraising and marketing for major Detroit metro markets.
Deborah Flora
Denver, CO
Deborah is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, radio host, and national public speaker. As a mom and founder of Parents United America, she has been on the frontline fighting for parental rights and educational freedom. As a public policy director, she has advocated and testified for issues impacting the citizens of Colorado and across the country.
The Deborah Flora Show is heard daily on the Salem Radio Network, and Deborah has also been featured on media outlets including Fox News, Newsmax, Townhall, and the Daily Wire. As partner with her husband Jonathan in Lamplight Entertainment and Whetstone Media Group, she has produced numerous film and television projects including the documentary “Whose Children Are They?” which premiered in theaters nationwide.
Deborah is also a member of the American Enterprise Leadership Network and serves on the Leadership Program of the Rockies Advisory Council, the Colorado GOP Media Action Team, the ACE Scholarship Board of Directors, and is a Member of the Independence Institute’s Center Right Coalition.
Abraham George
Plano, TX
Abraham George, chairman of the Collin County GOP (CCGOP), got involved in the Republican Party when he realized the party’s values echoed his own.
At just 16 years old, Abraham immigrated with his family to the U.S. from India as soon as he finished high school. As an adult, when Abraham prepared to vote in the 2008 presidential election, he said members of the minority community were expected to align with the Democratic Party and vote for Barack Obama.
But, he didn’t agree with Obama or his policies. Though the narrative was to support him and the Democrat Party, Abraham realized he needed to do more research, which led him to get involved with the Republican Party. The Dallas County GOP headquarters was near his office at the time, so he went in and offered to help.
He has also served as credentials chair for the 2020 precinct and senate district conventions and as vice chairman of the Collin County Republican Party. In 2020, during the state convention, he was elected to represent Senate District 8 in the State Republican Executive Committee. He was elected to be the Chairman of Collin County Republican Party in November of 2021, and his term ends in June of 2024.
Abraham sees the U.S. as the last bastion of freedom and opportunity in the world, saying “The rest of the world wants to come to the U.S. because they see this country as a chance for freedom and opportunity. And if we don’t protect that, there’s nowhere else for us to go.”
Abraham started a software firm in 2012 specializing in healthcare management. He is married to Jeena, a registered nurse, and they live in Parker with their two children.
Mike Giallombardo
Cape Coral, FL
Mike Giallombardo is a husband, father, combat veteran, and businessman who is passionate about serving his community. Mike grew up in Cape Coral where he attended elementary, middle and high school. Growing up, he developed a love for playing football, leading to college scholarships.
Mike earned his Associate’s degree from Georgia Military College, Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University and his Master’s Degree in International Relations with a Concentration in Conflict Resolution from American Military University.
After college, Mike enlisted in the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served with the 4th Infantry Division and also supported special operation missions. Mike played a significant role as a liaison to the Iraqi military and other coalition forces supporting the counter insurgency effort in Iraq. Mike is highly decorated from the operations he took part in and has been awarded numerous accommodations and medals such as Army Commendation Medals and Achievement Medals that were awarded for operations in Iraq that lead to capturing various targets.
Mike currently serves as a Warrant Officer in the Florida National Guard as a State Emergency Response Team liaison for the State of Florida. He has been activated for multiple hurricanes working with multiple counties in ensuring that the citizens have support from the Florida National Guard. He was also deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic to operate mobile testing sites.
When not on active duty, Mike owns and operates businesses that specializes in cybersecurity, technology development, commercialization of new technology, and education. Mike specializes in working with law enforcement, veteran-owned companies and helping veterans transition to civilian life.
Mike and his wife Wendi have a son Luca, daughter Presley, and help raise their niece Ivey.
John Gibbs
Byron Center, MI
With more than 20 years of private, public sector, and nonprofit leadership experience, John currently serves as the County Administrator for Ottawa County, Michigan, overseeing county operations, a staff of 1,200, and an annual budget of over $250 million.
Prior to leading Ottawa County, John ran for U.S. Congress, defeating a well-known incumbent in the primary despite being outspent 100-to-1.
Before running for office, John served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at HUD under Secretary Ben Carson, overseeing an annual budget of $8 billion for programs addressing homelessness, community development, and disaster relief, in addition to the successful rapid deployment of more than $9 billion in CARES Act funds in response to coronavirus. Prior to being appointed by President Trump as Acting Assistant Secretary, John served as Senior Advisor to Secretary Carson.
In addition to federal government service, John has 7 years of nonprofit leadership experience in Christian missions in Japan, as well as software startups in Silicon Valley, including working for a cybersecurity startup, Symantec, Palm, and at Apple on the first version of the iPhone. John is completely fluent in Japanese and has passed the Japanese government’s highest-level qualification exam (N1).
First in his family to attend college, John holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University, and a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Jennifer Gross
West Chester, OH
Representative Jennifer Gross considers it a great honor to serve the people of House District 45. State Rep. Jennifer Gross is currently serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives. She represents the 45th District, which includes West Chester Township, Ross Township, Morgan Township, and Fairfield City.
Gross is a 21-year Air Force veteran and retired Lt. Colonel, who served our great nation in Saudi Arabia during Operation Provide Comfort and in Sarajevo during Operation Provide Promise. Gross retired from the military in 2008. She is currently a member of American Legion Post 681 and VFW Post 7696, where she became the first active female inductee in February 2019.
Gross has been a family nurse practitioner for over 18 years and a registered nurse for over 30 years. Prior to becoming an NP, she managed a three million dollar territory for Eli Lilly. She most recently participated as a sub-investigator for Operation WARP Speed, developing treatments to help battle COVID-19. Gross also currently manages a small business as a health coach.
Gross believes in strong public policy that supports Ohio business success, legislation which supports and protects the unborn, and will uphold Ohioans Constitutional Freedoms.
She resides in West Chester with her husband, Chris, and their two sons.
Amalia Halikias
Chevy Chase, MD
Amalia Chua Halikias is the Government Relations Director at the Heritage Foundation. She previously served on the Blake Masters U.S. Senate campaign, where she was Campaign Manager.
Prior to that, Amalia worked as Advisor to the Under Secretary of the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans at the Department of Homeland Security and as Communications Director of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee.
A rare D.C. native, Amalia graduated from Yale University in 2015. She is a dumpling enthusiast.
Bronwyn Haltom
Mattawan, MI
Bronwyn Haltom is a seasoned professional in the field of digital marketing and online advocacy, with over a decade of experience working with hundreds of campaigns, caucuses, advocacy groups, non-profits, and national brands. Bronwyn was raised in a homeschool and small-business family in Southwest Michigan, instilling in her from a young age the importance of self-reliance and free-markets over government run institutions.
Bronwyn started her career working to elect dozens of conservatives to office including President Trump. After the 2016 election, she worked on the Presidential Transition Team and was then selected to serve in The White House Office of Political Affairs, overseeing an entire region of the country for President Trump. On her first day at The White House, she met her now-husband, Thomas. Bronwyn returned home to Michigan in 2018, where she manages a small business and has taken an active role in the state Republican Party and conservative grassroots.
Bronwyn is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.
Joseph Hamm
Cogan Station, PA
Joe Hamm was elected to serve the people of the 84th Legislative District in Pennsylvania in November 2020. Joe graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Lock Haven University. His life goal is to always put country and community first, and he has proven that he will do just that through his time as a combat war veteran, volunteer firefighter, little league coach, township supervisor, and borough manager.
Joe began his life of service at a young age, joining a local volunteer fire department at 14 years old. Prior to his election to the House of Representatives, Joe served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for six years, during which he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Army Commendation Medal while serving in Iraq.
After being honorably discharged, he went on to serve his community as supervisor and board chairman of Hepburn Township, a member of the Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Commission, chairman of the Lycoming County Republican Committee and as the Jersey Shore Borough manager.
Like many citizens raised in central Pennsylvania, Joe was instilled with the traditional values of hard work, personal integrity, and community service. He is committed to protecting those values in the state Capitol while fighting to reduce government spending, to eliminate burdensome taxes, to reduce regulations and red-tape to create a business-friendly environment so more family-sustaining jobs are created by small business owners.
Brian Harrison
Ellis County, TX
Brian Harrison is a passionate and effective advocate for limited government and individual liberty who represents House District 10 in the Texas Legislature.
During the Trump Administration, Brian served as the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the largest government agency in the world with a budget of over $1.4 trillion and 25 divisions, where he led a staff of over 85,000 employees. He led deregulatory efforts such as sunsetting almost 20,000 regulations, eliminating unfair taxes and harmful programs, and creating term limits for senior career officials.
Brian has also worked on intelligence issues at the Department of Defense, managed domestic and worldwide operations in the office of the Vice President at the White House, and served in the Office of the Commissioner at the Social Security Administration. Brian has worked in small, family-run businesses, as an independent consultant for various clients, and as a director at a public affairs firm helping oversee their healthcare portfolio.
Brian holds a B.S in Economics from Texas A&M and lives in Ellis County, TX with his wife, Tara, and their four children.
Sam Hayes
Raleigh, NC
Sam grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is a 1994 graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in economics and minored in business administration. He received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1998. Sam began his legal career with the international law firm of Arnold & Porter in Washington, DC.
In 2015, he returned to his native North Carolina to join Governor Pat McCrory’s administration as General Counsel at the Department of Environmental Quality. While at DEQ, Sam was appointed Special Counsel by Governor McCrory in actions against the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory overreach.
In the Waters of the United States Rule, or “WOTUS,” litigation, Sam proudly stood with North Carolina’s farmers to oppose what would have amounted to a taking of all agricultural lands east of Interstate 95. In the so-called “Clean Power Plan” action, Sam fought against the EPA’s cynical attempt to take over North Carolina’s power grid and severely punish the state’s rate payers.
Sam currently serves as General Counsel to North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore. In that role, he has directed litigation in state and federal court involving voter ID, felon voting, charter schools, opportunity scholarships, public school funding, and right to farm. He has also fought against judicial activism in Moore v. Harper, the landmark Elections Clause case recently heard by the United States Supreme Court.
Outside of work, Sam has served on the UNC Board of Visitors and the Wake Law General Counsel Advisory Committee. Sam is also an active member of the Federalist Society and the Republican National Lawyers Association.
Sam lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, Adriane, their daughter, Anna, and their son, Walker.
Troup Hemenway
Montross, VA
Troup Calhoun Hemenway is the president of Personnel Policy Operations, a non-profit dedicated to de-risking civic engagement for conservatives.
He previously served in the Trump White House as Associate Director for National Security in the Office of Presidential Personnel, where his portfolio included the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Energy, and the Intelligence Community. Hemenway was a Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering in the Pentagon and a member of the Senior Executive Service, serving previously as a Defense Fellow and a Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He was a member of the Presidential Transition Team and the Trump Campaign policy team.
Hemenway earned his degree in cybersecurity from the University of Virginia, graduating with highest distinction. He is a founder of the Association of Republican Presidential Appointees, a native Virginian, and a proud descendent of veterans of Washington’s Continental Army.
Stephen Hollingshead
Pearland, TX
Dr. Stephen Hollingshead helps create jobs in tough spots by using technologies to improve and extend the administration of property rights.
A former financial regulator and cabinet-level economic advisor, he founded ChangeInEx to address the global de-risking crisis (banks pulling back from developing markets because of post-9/11 regulation) and created the Secured Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) model for investment in post-conflict environments. Both of these tools emerged from his work to address genocide and the refugee crisis, and they share a common theme: The only enduring solution to the crisis is to give families the dignity of productive work. To do this, we must give basic property rights—identity, title, and exchange—to those most in need; and we must improve property rights for investors and entrepreneurs where investment is most needed.
Nic Horton
Conway, AR
Nic Horton is the founder and CEO of Opportunity Arkansas. A lifelong Arkansan, Nic has been in the conservative movement for more than a decade and engaged in policy work in roughly half the United States. Nic’s portfolio of work ranges from Medicaid and food stamps reform to tax and spending. His research and writings have been highlighted in The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Forbes, National Review Online, the Washington Examiner, and Townhall, among other outlets. Nic has also appeared on numerous talk radio shows nationwide and has testified before legislatures in nearly a dozen states.
Nic started his career as a citizen journalist, focusing on holding elected officials accountable on spending and taxes. That work eventually led him to become the editor of The Arkansas Project, the state’s largest conservative news site at the time. Nic’s passion for welfare reform eventually led him to the Foundation for Government Accountability, where he published more than 50 research studies and built the organization’s research department from the ground up. Nic also worked as a policy advocate in Arkansas where he was responsible for nearly 100 policy wins.
He founded Opportunity Arkansas in 2022 which works to simplify government and solve generational problems for the next generation. Also in 2022, Nic launched Red Truck Strategies, a research firm providing strategic consulting services for conservative non-profits.
Nic resides in Conway, Arkansas, with his wife and children. He holds a BS and MBA from Harding University.
Jason Killmeyer
Dallas, TX
Jason Killmeyer is a political commentator and national security expert. He is the founder and president of FreeWork, establishing the nation’s first podcast microgrant program to match creative youth to the tools for content creation.
Jason concluded a dozen years in national security as Chief of Staff Global Defense, Security & Justice at Deloitte Consulting LLP, and is a former congressional primary candidate for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
Jason is a contributing editor at the defense-focused 19FortyFive.com, drawing on his experience to help insulate federal supply chains from China. He has been featured as an author or cited expert in the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, the Washington Examiner, Foxnews.com, and more.
Jason leverages his business operations expertise in his role as a Strategic Advisor to a wide range of startups and nonprofits working to make explicit, measurable change at the state, city, and even municipal level.
Robert Leadbeter
Catawissa, PA
In November of 2022, Robert Leadbeter was elected to serve the citizens of Columbia County’s 109th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Leadbeter holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration and has served as a small business owner and sales executive for a major national company.
As a husband, father, accomplished businessman, and community leader, Leadbeter is acutely aware of the challenges facing Pennsylvania families, senior citizens, and small businesses. In Harrisburg, he will support policies to lower taxes, encourage economic growth, increase personal freedom, and reduce the size and intrusiveness of government. He will also fight for local farmers and agribusinesses and work to bring family-sustaining jobs to the Commonwealth.
As an avid hunter, he will work to protect our constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
Leadbeter is pro-life and an active member of New Covenant Church in Berwick where he serves on the security team and men’s support group. He also supports several local community organizations and charities.
Leadbeter and his wife, Bethany, reside in Catawissa with their two young daughters.
Laurel Libby
Auburn, ME
Laurel Libby is serving her second term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Taxation Committee. A registered nurse, small business owner, and mother of five, she first engaged in state politics during a 2019 People’s Veto effort.
The following year, she ran for state representative, winning against a two-term Democrat incumbent. Throughout the Covid lockdowns, Representative Libby was a strong voice for freedom, advocating for the legislature to return to work and strip the governor of her dictatorial powers. She was removed from her committee after entering the capital without a mask in May 2021. A member of Young Americans for Liberty’s Hazlitt Coalition, Representative Libby was a leader in the efforts against the Covid vaccine mandates that crippled Maine’s healthcare infrastructure. She is focused on repealing Maine’s Certificate of Need law and implementing school choice.
In 2021, Representative Libby co-founded The Dinner Table, a grassroots political action committee with over 900 members, dedicated to the principles of limited government, free enterprise, personal responsibility, and individual liberty. The premier liberty organization in Maine, The Dinner Table is committed to training up grassroots activists and fighting for individual rights by helping conservative candidates win.
Dennis Linthicum
Beatty, OR
State Senator Dennis Linthicum is currently serving his second term for Oregon’s 28th District. His Senate district comprises all or part of three Oregon Counties – Jackson, Klamath, and Deschutes. It is predominantly rural where farm, ranch and commodity production is the largest economic contributor. Prior to winning his state Senate seat he served as county commissioner in his home county of Klamath. Dennis is known for his strong appreciation of individual liberty, personal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets in the local economic environment.
In 2022, Dennis was honored to receive the CPAC “Center for Legislative Accountability” award for being the top conservative state Senator in Oregon. Prior to engaging in public office, Dennis was a senior vice president for software development with a FORTUNE 500 company, a licensed Oregon Contractor, and a rancher.
He has written extensively as the Dirt Road Economist, where he focused on the necessity of reenforcing the foundations which undergird our free society. He works to promote Constitutional conservatism with the knowledge that this produces robust local economies, individual liberty, and fosters personal responsibility.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from UCLA and a Master’s Degree from Biola University.
Noah Malgeri
Las Vegas, NV
Noah Malgeri is an accomplished patent attorney, engineer, and Iraq War veteran. Noah is a patriot who appreciates that being an American is a profound privilege. Noah has practiced law on three continents and holds both American and German law degrees.
Despite the demands of his professional career, Noah has always maintained a commitment to public service. After serving in the U.S. Army, Noah directed the largest pro bono legal services organization in the state of Nevada for five years, providing critical pro bono representation to our community’s most vulnerable, including every foster child in Clark County. For that service, he was recognized with the Vegas Legal Magazine Excellence Award.
Most recently, Noah ran for U.S. Congress in Nevada’s Third District. Today, Noah serves as in-house counsel and practices as a patent attorney. He’s also the founder and Chief Executive of Mojave Rail Fabrication, a company that designs and builds revolutionary roof racks in Southern Nevada based on his own patented invention.
Austin McCollum
Bentonville, AR
Rep. Austin McCollum is serving his fourth term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 8 which includes a portion of Benton County.
Rep. McCollum was elected House Majority Leader in 2020. During his tenure as Majority Leader in the 93rd General Assembly, he composed an aggressive conservative agenda that lowered licensing hurdles, restrained government growth, and protected the welfare system for the truly needy — while making it more difficult for bad actors to defraud taxpayers.
In the 94th General Assembly, Rep. McCollum serves on the House Public Transportation Committee and the House Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development. Much of his legislative work focuses on reducing barriers to work for Arkansans, lowering taxes, and limiting the size of government. Understanding there is still much opportunity for improvement in these areas, Rep McCollum is taking an active role in recruiting, training, and investing in future conservative leaders in the state.
Rep. McCollum is a graduate of the University of Tulsa. When he’s not doing the people’s work, he works in retail business analytics. Austin resides in Bentonville with his family and is a member of Cross Church Pinnacle Hills. He likes the idea of pickleball but has not yet played.
Mayes Middleton
Galveston, TX
Mayes Middleton resides in Galveston with his wife, Macy, and four children, Connor, Christian, Matthew, and Martha Ann. Mayes is president of Middleton Oil Company, an independent oil and gas company. He also runs ranching, cattle, and farming operations. Mayes and his wife support numerous local community organizations and faith-based charities.
Before his election to the Texas Senate in 2022, Mayes was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2018 to represent House District 23, encompassing Chambers County and part of Galveston County. In his two terms in the Legislature, Mayes has consistently ranked as one of the top 10 most conservative members of the Texas House. During his most recent term in the House, Mayes served as the Chairman of the Texas House Freedom Caucus.
Chris Miller
Oakland, IL
State Representative Chris Miller serves Illinois’s 101st District. He is a founding member and the current chairman of the Illinois Freedom Caucus.
Chris has been married for 42 years to Congresswoman Mary Miller. They have seven children and 20 grandchildren.
Chris earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Eureka College, and Associates of Science in Production Agriculture from Lakeland College. He farms and raises Angus seedstock.
Jordan Mollenhour
Knoxville, TN
Jordan Mollenhour is a 7th generation Tennessean, an entrepreneur, a business executive, and a committed supporter of those who similarly serve their communities across the Volunteer State. Appointed to the State Board of Education by Governor Bill Lee in November 2021, Jordan Mollenhour is committed to serving Tennessee’s students, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders in an effort to improve the lives of all Tennesseans of all ages.
Jordan began his working career at age 12; started his first business at age 16; attended the University of Tennessee full-time while growing his companies; and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a full-time MBA, and a law degree (all from UT-Knoxville). He most recently graduated from The Wharton School in Philadelphia, earning an Executive MBA with academic honors and receiving the Benjamin Franklin Award, an elected distinction given to one member of each graduating class.
Jordan and business partner, Dustin Gross, founded the privately-owned investment firm Mollenhour Gross, LLC in 2004 and together, they have since started, acquired, or invested in numerous businesses throughout the United States (some of which have been relocated to Knoxville). During the financial crisis of 2008, Jordan and Dustin (and their families) experienced total financial loss and learned many important life lessons through those difficult times. The experience forever changed their perspectives, and it shaped their understanding of the challenges that many families still face.
Jordan, Christina, and their four children remain actively involved in the Knoxville community, their church, a variety of social impact organizations, and in the lives of the many fine friends and family members who are a part of their journey. Jordan serves on the boards of the Trinity Health Foundation, the East Tennessee Historical Society, and the Knoxville Chamber. He is also the recently appointed Vice-Chair of the Trinity Health Foundation, a trustee at his church, and serves on the Board of Advisors at the Anderson Center at the University of Tennessee.
Adam Morgan
Greenville, SC
Adam Morgan is an attorney, legislator, composer, and the president of Majesty Music, a publishing company and music school in Greenville, South Carolina. He received an undergraduate degree from Bob Jones University and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina, School of Law.
In 2018, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives where he currently serves as the Chairman of the Transportation Committee. In 2022, he and the other conservatives founded the South Carolina Freedom Caucus where he currently serves as Chairman. He is married with three children under age five.
Adam Niemerg
Dieterich, IL
Adam Niemerg is a state representative for Illinois, serving since January 2021. He was born and raised in Teutopolis and resides in rural Dieterich with his wife, Trina, and two children. After completing his Associate’s degree at Lake Land College, Adam continued his education at Eastern Illinois University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in History. He then worked for 12 years as a property claims specialist with Country Financial Insurance Company before running for state representative. With Country Insurance, he managed employees and oversaw budget and site planning.
Adam ran on a platform of parental rights, a belief in the right to life for unborn children and strong support for the Second Amendment. He is an advocate of fiscal conservatism and limited government. He currently represents all or portions of 11 counties in Illinois, including, Champaign, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Lawrence, Jasper, and Vermillion Counties.
Adam has actively fought to reduce lockdowns and to remove masking in schools and vaccine mandates. In addition, he successfully negotiated the removal of masks from the Illinois House floor and has been vocal in pushing back against far left ideology that has taken hold of many of our institutions.
Adam serves on several committees, including the Illinois House Appropriations General Services, Consumer Protection, Elementary and Secondary Education School Curriculum and Policy, Insurance, Restorative Justice, and Labor & Commerce Committees.
As a St. Isidore Catholic Parish member, Adam prioritizes his community and values traditional family and religious principles.
Marlo Oaks
Salt Lake City, UT
Marlo Oaks was appointed Utah’s 26th state treasurer in June 2021. As the state’s chief investment and chief banking officer, Marlo is responsible for debt, cash, and investments, including the $30 billion Public Treasurer’s Investment Fund. He also administers Utah’s Unclaimed Property Division.
Marlo spent 17 years overseeing multi-billion dollar investment portfolios. He is one of only two state treasurers with institutional investment experience. Marlo completed a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brigham Young University, a Master of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson and holds the CFA and CAIA designations.
Robert Onder
St. Louis, MO
Senator Robert (Dr. Bob) Onder, a lifelong Missourian, is finishing his second term in the Missouri State Senate. Bob received his MD from Washington University in St. Louis and his JD from St. Louis University. Bob is a medical doctor who is board certified in Allergy-Immunology and Internal Medicine.
In the Missouri Senate, he served for three years as the assistant majority floor leader. He has been endorsed by Missouri Right to Life and the NRA. He has earned 100% ratings from the American Conservative Union and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Onder has worked for smaller government, tax reduction, and personal liberty. During his time in the senate, he worked tirelessly to cut individual and small business taxes and end the personal property tax. He passed ride-share and professional licensing deregulation. He was the author of SB 5 in 2017 and 2019, the “Heartbeat Bill” which Missouri Right to Life called the most important pro life bills in Missouri history. In 2018, he passed important school choice legislation. He was instrumental in the passage of the 2016 Constitutional Carry and 2019 Second Amendment Protection Act bills.
As he ends his legislative career, Senator Onder is remaining involved in politics and public policy. He engaged successfully in five Missouri Republican primaries, supporting free market conservatives over their moderate to liberal opponents. He does a twice-weekly radio commentary, “Dr. Bob’s Prescription,” on the St. Louis radio station Newstalk STL.
Senator Onder is married to his wife, Allison, and is the father of six children.
Jena Powell
Arcanum, OH
Jena Powell is serving her third term in the Ohio House of Representatives for the new 80th House District, which includes Miami County and the southern portion of Darke County. She is from southern Darke County where her family has been farming for generations.
After graduating with a degree in Business from Liberty University, Powell started a business in the district. She founded and leads the Ohio House Pro-Life Caucus and advocates for policies that will promote healthy families, small businesses, and thriving communities in Ohio. In 2019, Representative Powell was named to the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Law & Policy.
David Ray
Maumelle, AR
State Representative David Ray serves Arkansas’s 69th District. He is serving in his second term in the Arkansas House of Representatives and serves on both the Revenue and Tax Committee and the City, County, and Local Affairs Committee. He is also Vice-Chairman of the Joint Performance Review Committee. Prior to being elected to the House, David served as the Chief of Staff to Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin. A 2007 graduate of University of the Ozarks, David has spent over a decade working in electoral and issue politics in eight different states. He has managed two Congressional races as well as two statewide races for Attorney General. David also served as the communications director for U.S. Senator Tom Cotton’s successful 2014 U.S. Senate campaign. He also served as the state director for Americans for Prosperity Arkansas.
David lives in Maumelle, Arkansas, and is married to his wife Jessica. They have a daughter, Charlotte, and a son, William.
Aaron Reitz
Austin, TX
Aaron Reitz serves as Texas’s Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy. He is Attorney General Paxton’s “offensive coordinator,” responsible for planning, staffing, and executing the Agency’s most consequential lawsuits and legal initiatives on matters including immigration and border security, federal-state disputes, election integrity, Big Tech, consumer protection, energy, the environment, pro-life issues, and the U.S. and Texas Constitutions.
Aaron graduated from Texas A&M University and was a member of the Corps of Cadets. After graduating, he was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps and married his high school sweetheart. He spent nearly five years on active duty and deployed to the northern Helmand Province of Afghanistan on an Embedded Training Team. He is still a Major in the Marine Corps Reserve. After the Marines, Aaron attended the University of Texas School of Law, where he served as President of the Texas Federalist Society and Editor in Chief of the Texas Review of Law & Politics. He began his career at Bracewell LLP in Houston and then clerked for Justice Jimmy Blacklock on the Texas Supreme Court.
Aaron and his wife, Meredith, have four children and a golden retriever. They are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in downtown Austin.
Adam Rosendale
Great Falls, MT
Adam Rosendale is owner, general contractorm, and carpenter for Black Sheep Contracting. He enjoys hunting and fishing, woodworking, and card games. He hopes to serve and restore the Republic.
He is a student of philosophy and carpentry, having an Associates degree in Applied Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Theology.
He has worked in construction since he was thirteen. He started with rebuilding the ranch he grew up on, and over the past twenty years, has worked in many areas from framing, siding, and roofing to sheetrock and painting.
Adam resides in Great Falls, Montana.
Nate Schatzline
Fort Worth, TX
Nate Schatzline is a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 93. He is a proud Christian, a devoted husband, and father of two boys. He is a former pastor and the founder of For Liberty & Justice, an organization that is dedicated to mobilizing the local church to see reformation in government. He also serves as the director of operations for The Justice Reform, an anti-human trafficking organization based out of Fort Worth, Texas.
Nate grew up along with his sister, traveling the world with his mom and dad who were ministers, authors, and business owners. He attributes much of his success to growing up in a loving home where he was taught to work hard, put family first, love people, and honor God in everything he does.
He graduated with his Bachelor’s degree from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, in Waxahachie, Texas, which is where he met his sweetheart and wife of 9 years, Adrienne. He then went on to graduate summa cum laude with his Master’s degree in Political Science at Liberty University.
His wife Adrienne is his best friend and greatest supporter, and his two boys, Jackson and Anderson, are the pride and joy of his life.
Stephanie Smith
Birmingham, AL
Stephanie Smith, wife of Dalton Smith and the mother of seven children, is an advocate with twenty-five years of experience herding both children and politicians. Stephanie is a cum laude graduate of Auburn University and a cum laude graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
Stephanie’s previous professional experience includes being the Director of Governmental Affairs for Regions Financial Corporation, President of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, Assistant Director & Deputy Director of Finance for the State of Alabama, as well as a campaign consultant for a multitude of political and advocacy issue campaigns, a political opinion contributor for statewide and national media, and the principal of Thatcher Coalition, LLC.
Stephanie has been a consistent, conservative political voice in Alabama politics and the greater movement since 1998. She currently serves as the President & CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute in Birmingham, Alabama.
Andrew Sorrell
Muscle Shoals, AL
Andrew Sorrell is a 37-year-old entrepreneur, private pilot, advanced SCUBA diver, Eagle Scout, and former state representative from House District 3 in Colbert County. Recently, Andrew was elected State Auditor of Alabama.
Andrew attended Muscle Shoals High School and graduated in 2004. By testing out of many credit hours, taking overloads, and enrolling in summer semesters, Andrew completed his 4-year Business Management degree at the University of North Alabama (UNA) in less than 2 years, finishing in July 2006.
Andrew started his first company at age 16, and currently owns part or all of four different Alabama-based businesses. He also owns multiple rental properties, both commercial and residential.
Andrew resides in Muscle Shoals where he and his wife, Hannah, recently built a home. Their first child was born on October 18th, 2021, a daughter they named Liberty.
Blaine Wilhour
Beecher City, IL
Blaine Wilhour is a 3-term Illinois State Representative with a reputation for leading the charge against dysfunctional government policies that stifle the economy and limit freedom. He is an active advocate for policies to lower taxes, promote smart deregulation, reduce inflation, protect parental rights, and implement energy policies that provide working families with affordable and accessible energy.
Blaine served as an Army Intelligence Analyst from 1999-2005 and is a Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and a former member of the Fayette County Board. He resides with his wife, Amber, and their three sons on his farm in rural Beecher City, Illinois.
In addition to his political career, Blaine is a partner in Wilhour Farms, LLC, where he has played a critical role in recruiting and executing new farmland acquisitions and negotiating contract terms with landowners. He is also a managing partner of Longhorn Buildings, LLC, where he makes hiring decisions, negotiates and manages extensive vendor relationships, and oversees all sales and marketing operations.
Blaine is a public speaker, having spoken on behalf of good government groups like OpenTheBooks.com. He has appeared on national news programs such as the Tucker Carlson show and is a 2023 Fellow with the Club for Growth Foundation. He is a member of the Illinois Freedom Caucus and continues to advocate for good government, transparency, accountability, and fiscal sanity in government.
Patrick Witt
Dunwoody, GA
Patrick is an entrepreneur and former senior government official from Atlanta, Georgia. He is currently CEO of a fast-growing startup aimed at helping independent contractors cost-effectively scale their businesses. Previously, Patrick served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Prior to government service, he was an engagement manager with McKinsey & Company.
Patrick is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School. As an undergraduate, Patrick excelled as a student-athlete for the Bulldogs. He started for three years at quarterback and broke numerous school records enroute to earning All-Ivy athletic and academic recognition. Patrick received Yale’s prestigious Francis Gordon Brown Prize, a distinction shared by former President George H.W. Bush, and was also a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, Rhodes, and Mitchell Scholarships. He was invited to the NFL Combine and signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints. In law school, Patrick was active in the Federalist Society and participated in ADF’s Blackstone Legal Fellowship.
Patrick is a proud uncle to Joan, Kirby, and Grace. He attends Passion City Church and can regularly be found at Truist Park cheering on the Braves. He is fluent in French.
Theodore Wold
Boise, ID
Theodore Wold is the Solicitor General of Idaho. Previously, Wold served as the Acting-Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice and Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy under President Donald Trump. Prior to his three-and-a-half years of service in the Trump White House, Wold previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel to United States Senator Mike Lee on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Wold holds a B.A. from Georgetown University, where he studied government and English; an M. Litt. from the University of St. Andrews, where he studied English literature; and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Wold clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for Judge Janice Rogers Brown and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for Judge José Antonio Fusté. Wold is a Washington Fellow at the Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life.
Wold and his wife have four children and live in Boise, Idaho.
Brice Wordsworth
Greenville, NC
Brice Wordsworth was born and raised in a small town in Eastern North Carolina, Rocky Mount. He currently works in law enforcement for the city of Greenville. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from North Carolina Wesleyan as well as a Master’s in Criminal Justice from East Carolina University. Brice looks forward to making lifelong connections and friends with like-minded people who share his values and aspirations.
Tommy Altman
Chesapeake, VA
Tommy was born and raised in Chesapeake, Virginia. He married his high school sweetheart Krystal, and they have been married for 22 years. They have two sons, both of whom wrestle, and the oldest son ranked third place in the state this year as a sophomore. If not at work or a wrestling tournament, they travel a lot as a family. You can find Tommy on one of his motorcycles, on the golf course, hunting or enjoying a nice cigar. Sometimes, several of those at the same time.
After high school, Tommy went into the military. He served in the U.S. Air Force Special Operations with ground combat deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Shortly after returning from Iraq, he was medically separated and is currently a disabled veteran.
Tommy is a graduate of Regent University and an ordained minister. He and his wife moved to Las Vegas for three years to help start a church. While in Vegas, he became a tattoo artist. If you’re thinking a transition from being a pastor to a tattoo artist is unexpected, you are correct and his mother-in-law agrees.
Since then, the Altmans moved back home and have owned a small business for the past six years. For the past several years, Sandbridge Tattoo has been voted “the best tattoo studio” in all of Hampton Roads. Tommy considers it an honor to walk through the highs and lows of life with people in his community.
He currently works at a local financial advising firm. Though another career shift, he enjoys another way to help the people of his community by reaching their goals both financially and personally. One thing he learned in the military is that times of chaos are great opportunities to advance if we are thinking clearly enough to recognize them and being brave enough to step into them. Tommy believes the current state of the world presents a great opportunity for brave leaders to stand up and show we can advance together and make our nation once again the “shining city on a hill.”
Ben Baker
Neosho, MO
Representative Ben Baker, a Republican, represents Newton County (District 160) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2018.
In addition to his legislative duties, Baker is a lay minister, missionary, former professor, and former dean of students at Ozark Bible Institute in Neosho. He also owns a small construction business that specializes in artisan trim-work. Baker also served on the Neosho City Council and as mayor of Neosho.
Baker is a past church board member and also a past board president of Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center. He is also involved with Ozark Christian Missions and has led mission trips to India, Africa, and Central America. Representative Baker is also the Missouri state chair for the American Legislative Exchange Council.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ozark Bible Institute.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Baker currently resides in Neosho with his wife, Naomi, and their four daughters.
Jake Bequette
Little Rock, AR
An Arkansas native, Jake was a third-generation University of Arkansas football player, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and uncle. During his four years as a Razorback, Jake was an All-SEC defensive end, an Academic All-American, and the Defensive MVP of the 2012 Cotton Bowl Classic. Jake was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft and was a member of the Super Bowl XLIX championship team in 2014 before ending his successful run in the NFL the following year.
In 2017, Jake joined the military. He earned his commission as an Infantry Lieutenant in 2018, graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger School, and then deployed to Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division in 2019.
Upon returning home from Iraq and concluding his military career, in 2021 Jake launched The Arkansas Fund — a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses in Arkansas that were struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jake ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, and he currently resides in Arkansas.
Annie Black
Mesquite, NV
Annie spent her entire life in Las Vegas until crime and the poor education system drove her to search for a safer, simpler life for her two boys, Tommy (21) and Tyler (18), in Mesquite, Nevada. Her family has been in business there for many years and the town holds a special place in her heart.
Unfortunately, Mesquite businesses hadn’t quite bounced back to the boom days prior to the crash of 2008. Instead of spectating, Annie rolled up her sleeves and ran for the City Council. She had no staff and a small budget, but she won her election. Annie was one of only two republicans to win in Nevada in 2018.
On the city council, Annie promoted Mesquite businesses, fought red tape, supported law enforcement, and shook things up in the good ‘ole boys club. Annie is a fighter with the wins to show for it.
While Annie was serving in the Legislature, Democrats closed the People’s House and handed down mandates. Annie challenged the establishment, forcing Democrats to drop their mask mandate and reopen the legislature to the public.
Cindy Byrd
Coal County, OK
Cindy Byrd, CPA, is Oklahoma’s 13th State Auditor & Inspector and the first woman elected to serve as the taxpayer’s watchdog. A CPA with 26 years of government auditing experience, Cindy began her journey as an auditor in 1997. Cindy’s audits have identified millions of dollars in misappropriated tax dollars and waste of public funds at every level of government.
By the end of her first term, Cindy published more than 1400 audits including the following which garnered statewide, legislative, even national attention:
- A first of its kind Medicaid audit that revealed weak processes mandated by the federal government and $1.6 billion in expenditures made on behalf of recipients whose eligibility had not been determined.
- A public charter school audit that exposed tens of millions in misappropriated funds which received the 2022 Excellence in Accountability Award for Forensic Audit by the National State Auditor’s Association.
- An audit of COVID funds which reported millions in fraudulent unemployment claims.
Byrd is currently working on a forensic audit of the State Department of Education and is assisting in exposing mandates on ESG investments contrary to a recently passed law. Cindy is passionate about responsible government and strongly advocates for transparency and accountability in the receipt and expenditure of public funds. After all, it’s the people’s money and they deserve to know how it is spent.
Cindy and her husband Steve live in Coalgate located in Coal County, Oklahoma.
Jenny Clark
Scottsdale, AZ
Jenny Clark is the founder and executive director of Love Your School, a non-profit committed to educating families about all of their school options, providing personalized support to parents and supporting new education entrepreneurs and leaders. Jenny has her five children in a variety of school options and successfully launched and led a cottage school with other families for three years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She has helped families navigate the special education process for years and is passionate about families with learning disabilities, especially dyslexia given her family’s first hand experiences. Jenny turned her support and love for school choice into an organization that is uniquely parent-centric and positive. She loves highlighting the importance of education opportunities like ESAs and helping both parents and providers understand how education policies can impact and benefit their work.
Jenny launched the Love Your School Podcast, serves on the Arizona State Board of Education, is a member of AEI’s Conservative Education Reform Network and a board member of Phoenix Seminary. Jenny holds a BSBA in Business Economics from the University of Arizona and a Master of Divinity from Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY.
Mike Crispi
Weehawken, NJ
Mike Crispi is an experienced television reporter, talk show host, and businessman. After a decorated career as a college football player at Elon University, he enjoyed early success in the health insurance consulting business. Out of a genuine passion and love of country, he became engaged in politics with a mission to use his communication skills to further conservative causes he was passionate about.
He first gained political notoriety covering live grassroots events with Right Side Broadcasting Network to millions of viewers. He has interviewed the biggest names in conservative politics while also providing ground-breaking analysis on key stories well before it hit the mainstream.
After a strong showing running for US Congress in New Jersey in 2022, Crispi has returned to the airwaves and currently hosts one of the most popular daily political podcasts in the nation, “Mike Crispi Unafraid,” which is syndicated on The Salem Podcast Network, Salem News Channel, and LFA TV.
Emily Davis
Hillsdale, MI
Emily Stack Davis is the executive director of public relations and media outreach for Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. In that role, she has placed interviews, editorials, and commentary pieces in The Wall Street Journal, Fox Opinion, New York Times, Washington Examiner, and other national outlets to highlight the College’s mission and help to secure and defend its independence. Davis has executed media and public events for U.S. Supreme Court Justices and Vice Presidents. Her most significant projects have secured media placements and interviews during times of crisis, issues management, and legal challenges. Her civic work includes serving as county chair for U.S. Senate races, in leadership positions for regional
Republican groups, and as a member of the City Council. Prior to her career in higher education, Davis worked in healthcare fundraising and marketing for major Detroit metro markets.
Deborah Flora
Denver, CO
Deborah is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, radio host, and national public speaker. As a mom and founder of Parents United America, she has been on the frontline fighting for parental rights and educational freedom. As a public policy director, she has advocated and testified for issues impacting the citizens of Colorado and across the country.
The Deborah Flora Show is heard daily on the Salem Radio Network, and Deborah has also been featured on media outlets including Fox News, Newsmax, Townhall, and the Daily Wire. As partner with her husband Jonathan in Lamplight Entertainment and Whetstone Media Group, she has produced numerous film and television projects including the documentary “Whose Children Are They?” which premiered in theaters nationwide.
Deborah is also a member of the American Enterprise Leadership Network and serves on the Leadership Program of the Rockies Advisory Council, the Colorado GOP Media Action Team, the ACE Scholarship Board of Directors, and is a Member of the Independence Institute’s Center Right Coalition.
Abraham George
Plano, TX
Abraham George, chairman of the Collin County GOP (CCGOP), got involved in the Republican Party when he realized the party’s values echoed his own.
At just 16 years old, Abraham immigrated with his family to the U.S. from India as soon as he finished high school. As an adult, when Abraham prepared to vote in the 2008 presidential election, he said members of the minority community were expected to align with the Democratic Party and vote for Barack Obama.
But, he didn’t agree with Obama or his policies. Though the narrative was to support him and the Democrat Party, Abraham realized he needed to do more research, which led him to get involved with the Republican Party. The Dallas County GOP headquarters was near his office at the time, so he went in and offered to help.
He has also served as credentials chair for the 2020 precinct and senate district conventions and as vice chairman of the Collin County Republican Party. In 2020, during the state convention, he was elected to represent Senate District 8 in the State Republican Executive Committee. He was elected to be the Chairman of Collin County Republican Party in November of 2021, and his term ends in June of 2024.
Abraham sees the U.S. as the last bastion of freedom and opportunity in the world, saying “The rest of the world wants to come to the U.S. because they see this country as a chance for freedom and opportunity. And if we don’t protect that, there’s nowhere else for us to go.”
Abraham started a software firm in 2012 specializing in healthcare management. He is married to Jeena, a registered nurse, and they live in Parker with their two children.
Mike Giallombardo
Cape Coral, FL
Mike Giallombardo is a husband, father, combat veteran, and businessman who is passionate about serving his community. Mike grew up in Cape Coral where he attended elementary, middle and high school. Growing up, he developed a love for playing football, leading to college scholarships.
Mike earned his Associate’s degree from Georgia Military College, Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University and his Master’s Degree in International Relations with a Concentration in Conflict Resolution from American Military University.
After college, Mike enlisted in the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served with the 4th Infantry Division and also supported special operation missions. Mike played a significant role as a liaison to the Iraqi military and other coalition forces supporting the counter insurgency effort in Iraq. Mike is highly decorated from the operations he took part in and has been awarded numerous accommodations and medals such as Army Commendation Medals and Achievement Medals that were awarded for operations in Iraq that lead to capturing various targets.
Mike currently serves as a Warrant Officer in the Florida National Guard as a State Emergency Response Team liaison for the State of Florida. He has been activated for multiple hurricanes working with multiple counties in ensuring that the citizens have support from the Florida National Guard. He was also deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic to operate mobile testing sites.
When not on active duty, Mike owns and operates businesses that specializes in cybersecurity, technology development, commercialization of new technology, and education. Mike specializes in working with law enforcement, veteran-owned companies and helping veterans transition to civilian life.
Mike and his wife Wendi have a son Luca, daughter Presley, and help raise their niece Ivey.
John Gibbs
Byron Center, MI
With more than 20 years of private, public sector, and nonprofit leadership experience, John currently serves as the County Administrator for Ottawa County, Michigan, overseeing county operations, a staff of 1,200, and an annual budget of over $250 million.
Prior to leading Ottawa County, John ran for U.S. Congress, defeating a well-known incumbent in the primary despite being outspent 100-to-1.
Before running for office, John served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at HUD under Secretary Ben Carson, overseeing an annual budget of $8 billion for programs addressing homelessness, community development, and disaster relief, in addition to the successful rapid deployment of more than $9 billion in CARES Act funds in response to coronavirus. Prior to being appointed by President Trump as Acting Assistant Secretary, John served as Senior Advisor to Secretary Carson.
In addition to federal government service, John has 7 years of nonprofit leadership experience in Christian missions in Japan, as well as software startups in Silicon Valley, including working for a cybersecurity startup, Symantec, Palm, and at Apple on the first version of the iPhone. John is completely fluent in Japanese and has passed the Japanese government’s highest-level qualification exam (N1).
First in his family to attend college, John holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University, and a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Jennifer Gross
West Chester, OH
Representative Jennifer Gross considers it a great honor to serve the people of House District 45. State Rep. Jennifer Gross is currently serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives. She represents the 45th District, which includes West Chester Township, Ross Township, Morgan Township, and Fairfield City.
Gross is a 21-year Air Force veteran and retired Lt. Colonel, who served our great nation in Saudi Arabia during Operation Provide Comfort and in Sarajevo during Operation Provide Promise. Gross retired from the military in 2008. She is currently a member of American Legion Post 681 and VFW Post 7696, where she became the first active female inductee in February 2019.
Gross has been a family nurse practitioner for over 18 years and a registered nurse for over 30 years. Prior to becoming an NP, she managed a three million dollar territory for Eli Lilly. She most recently participated as a sub-investigator for Operation WARP Speed, developing treatments to help battle COVID-19. Gross also currently manages a small business as a health coach.
Gross believes in strong public policy that supports Ohio business success, legislation which supports and protects the unborn, and will uphold Ohioans Constitutional Freedoms.
She resides in West Chester with her husband, Chris, and their two sons.
Amalia Halikias
Chevy Chase, MD
Amalia Chua Halikias is the Government Relations Director at the Heritage Foundation. She previously served on the Blake Masters U.S. Senate campaign, where she was Campaign Manager.
Prior to that, Amalia worked as Advisor to the Under Secretary of the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans at the Department of Homeland Security and as Communications Director of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee.
A rare D.C. native, Amalia graduated from Yale University in 2015. She is a dumpling enthusiast.
Bronwyn Haltom
Mattawan, MI
Bronwyn Haltom is a seasoned professional in the field of digital marketing and online advocacy, with over a decade of experience working with hundreds of campaigns, caucuses, advocacy groups, non-profits, and national brands. Bronwyn was raised in a homeschool and small-business family in Southwest Michigan, instilling in her from a young age the importance of self-reliance and free-markets over government run institutions.
Bronwyn started her career working to elect dozens of conservatives to office including President Trump. After the 2016 election, she worked on the Presidential Transition Team and was then selected to serve in The White House Office of Political Affairs, overseeing an entire region of the country for President Trump. On her first day at The White House, she met her now-husband, Thomas. Bronwyn returned home to Michigan in 2018, where she manages a small business and has taken an active role in the state Republican Party and conservative grassroots.
Bronwyn is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.
Joseph Hamm
Cogan Station, PA
Joe Hamm was elected to serve the people of the 84th Legislative District in Pennsylvania in November 2020. Joe graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Lock Haven University. His life goal is to always put country and community first, and he has proven that he will do just that through his time as a combat war veteran, volunteer firefighter, little league coach, township supervisor, and borough manager.
Joe began his life of service at a young age, joining a local volunteer fire department at 14 years old. Prior to his election to the House of Representatives, Joe served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for six years, during which he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Army Commendation Medal while serving in Iraq.
After being honorably discharged, he went on to serve his community as supervisor and board chairman of Hepburn Township, a member of the Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Commission, chairman of the Lycoming County Republican Committee and as the Jersey Shore Borough manager.
Like many citizens raised in central Pennsylvania, Joe was instilled with the traditional values of hard work, personal integrity, and community service. He is committed to protecting those values in the state Capitol while fighting to reduce government spending, to eliminate burdensome taxes, to reduce regulations and red-tape to create a business-friendly environment so more family-sustaining jobs are created by small business owners.
Brian Harrison
Ellis County, TX
Brian Harrison is a passionate and effective advocate for limited government and individual liberty who represents House District 10 in the Texas Legislature.
During the Trump Administration, Brian served as the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the largest government agency in the world with a budget of over $1.4 trillion and 25 divisions, where he led a staff of over 85,000 employees. He led deregulatory efforts such as sunsetting almost 20,000 regulations, eliminating unfair taxes and harmful programs, and creating term limits for senior career officials.
Brian has also worked on intelligence issues at the Department of Defense, managed domestic and worldwide operations in the office of the Vice President at the White House, and served in the Office of the Commissioner at the Social Security Administration. Brian has worked in small, family-run businesses, as an independent consultant for various clients, and as a director at a public affairs firm helping oversee their healthcare portfolio.
Brian holds a B.S in Economics from Texas A&M and lives in Ellis County, TX with his wife, Tara, and their four children.
Sam Hayes
Raleigh, NC
Sam grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is a 1994 graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in economics and minored in business administration. He received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1998. Sam began his legal career with the international law firm of Arnold & Porter in Washington, DC.
In 2015, he returned to his native North Carolina to join Governor Pat McCrory’s administration as General Counsel at the Department of Environmental Quality. While at DEQ, Sam was appointed Special Counsel by Governor McCrory in actions against the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory overreach.
In the Waters of the United States Rule, or “WOTUS,” litigation, Sam proudly stood with North Carolina’s farmers to oppose what would have amounted to a taking of all agricultural lands east of Interstate 95. In the so-called “Clean Power Plan” action, Sam fought against the EPA’s cynical attempt to take over North Carolina’s power grid and severely punish the state’s rate payers.
Sam currently serves as General Counsel to North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore. In that role, he has directed litigation in state and federal court involving voter ID, felon voting, charter schools, opportunity scholarships, public school funding, and right to farm. He has also fought against judicial activism in Moore v. Harper, the landmark Elections Clause case recently heard by the United States Supreme Court.
Outside of work, Sam has served on the UNC Board of Visitors and the Wake Law General Counsel Advisory Committee. Sam is also an active member of the Federalist Society and the Republican National Lawyers Association.
Sam lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, Adriane, their daughter, Anna, and their son, Walker.
Troup Hemenway
Montross, VA
Troup Calhoun Hemenway is the president of Personnel Policy Operations, a non-profit dedicated to de-risking civic engagement for conservatives.
He previously served in the Trump White House as Associate Director for National Security in the Office of Presidential Personnel, where his portfolio included the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Energy, and the Intelligence Community. Hemenway was a Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering in the Pentagon and a member of the Senior Executive Service, serving previously as a Defense Fellow and a Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He was a member of the Presidential Transition Team and the Trump Campaign policy team.
Hemenway earned his degree in cybersecurity from the University of Virginia, graduating with highest distinction. He is a founder of the Association of Republican Presidential Appointees, a native Virginian, and a proud descendent of veterans of Washington’s Continental Army.
Stephen Hollingshead
Pearland, TX
Dr. Stephen Hollingshead helps create jobs in tough spots by using technologies to improve and extend the administration of property rights.
A former financial regulator and cabinet-level economic advisor, he founded ChangeInEx to address the global de-risking crisis (banks pulling back from developing markets because of post-9/11 regulation) and created the Secured Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) model for investment in post-conflict environments. Both of these tools emerged from his work to address genocide and the refugee crisis, and they share a common theme: The only enduring solution to the crisis is to give families the dignity of productive work. To do this, we must give basic property rights—identity, title, and exchange—to those most in need; and we must improve property rights for investors and entrepreneurs where investment is most needed.
Nic Horton
Conway, AR
Nic Horton is the founder and CEO of Opportunity Arkansas. A lifelong Arkansan, Nic has been in the conservative movement for more than a decade and engaged in policy work in roughly half the United States. Nic’s portfolio of work ranges from Medicaid and food stamps reform to tax and spending. His research and writings have been highlighted in The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Forbes, National Review Online, the Washington Examiner, and Townhall, among other outlets. Nic has also appeared on numerous talk radio shows nationwide and has testified before legislatures in nearly a dozen states.
Nic started his career as a citizen journalist, focusing on holding elected officials accountable on spending and taxes. That work eventually led him to become the editor of The Arkansas Project, the state’s largest conservative news site at the time. Nic’s passion for welfare reform eventually led him to the Foundation for Government Accountability, where he published more than 50 research studies and built the organization’s research department from the ground up. Nic also worked as a policy advocate in Arkansas where he was responsible for nearly 100 policy wins.
He founded Opportunity Arkansas in 2022 which works to simplify government and solve generational problems for the next generation. Also in 2022, Nic launched Red Truck Strategies, a research firm providing strategic consulting services for conservative non-profits.
Nic resides in Conway, Arkansas, with his wife and children. He holds a BS and MBA from Harding University.
Jason Killmeyer
Dallas, TX
Jason Killmeyer is a political commentator and national security expert. He is the founder and president of FreeWork, establishing the nation’s first podcast microgrant program to match creative youth to the tools for content creation.
Jason concluded a dozen years in national security as Chief of Staff Global Defense, Security & Justice at Deloitte Consulting LLP, and is a former congressional primary candidate for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
Jason is a contributing editor at the defense-focused 19FortyFive.com, drawing on his experience to help insulate federal supply chains from China. He has been featured as an author or cited expert in the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, the Washington Examiner, Foxnews.com, and more.
Jason leverages his business operations expertise in his role as a Strategic Advisor to a wide range of startups and nonprofits working to make explicit, measurable change at the state, city, and even municipal level.
Robert Leadbeter
Catawissa, PA
In November of 2022, Robert Leadbeter was elected to serve the citizens of Columbia County’s 109th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Leadbeter holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration and has served as a small business owner and sales executive for a major national company.
As a husband, father, accomplished businessman, and community leader, Leadbeter is acutely aware of the challenges facing Pennsylvania families, senior citizens, and small businesses. In Harrisburg, he will support policies to lower taxes, encourage economic growth, increase personal freedom, and reduce the size and intrusiveness of government. He will also fight for local farmers and agribusinesses and work to bring family-sustaining jobs to the Commonwealth.
As an avid hunter, he will work to protect our constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
Leadbeter is pro-life and an active member of New Covenant Church in Berwick where he serves on the security team and men’s support group. He also supports several local community organizations and charities.
Leadbeter and his wife, Bethany, reside in Catawissa with their two young daughters.
Laurel Libby
Auburn, ME
Laurel Libby is serving her second term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Taxation Committee. A registered nurse, small business owner, and mother of five, she first engaged in state politics during a 2019 People’s Veto effort.
The following year, she ran for state representative, winning against a two-term Democrat incumbent. Throughout the Covid lockdowns, Representative Libby was a strong voice for freedom, advocating for the legislature to return to work and strip the governor of her dictatorial powers. She was removed from her committee after entering the capital without a mask in May 2021. A member of Young Americans for Liberty’s Hazlitt Coalition, Representative Libby was a leader in the efforts against the Covid vaccine mandates that crippled Maine’s healthcare infrastructure. She is focused on repealing Maine’s Certificate of Need law and implementing school choice.
In 2021, Representative Libby co-founded The Dinner Table, a grassroots political action committee with over 900 members, dedicated to the principles of limited government, free enterprise, personal responsibility, and individual liberty. The premier liberty organization in Maine, The Dinner Table is committed to training up grassroots activists and fighting for individual rights by helping conservative candidates win.
Dennis Linthicum
Beatty, OR
State Senator Dennis Linthicum is currently serving his second term for Oregon’s 28th District. His Senate district comprises all or part of three Oregon Counties – Jackson, Klamath, and Deschutes. It is predominantly rural where farm, ranch and commodity production is the largest economic contributor. Prior to winning his state Senate seat he served as county commissioner in his home county of Klamath. Dennis is known for his strong appreciation of individual liberty, personal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets in the local economic environment.
In 2022, Dennis was honored to receive the CPAC “Center for Legislative Accountability” award for being the top conservative state Senator in Oregon. Prior to engaging in public office, Dennis was a senior vice president for software development with a FORTUNE 500 company, a licensed Oregon Contractor, and a rancher.
He has written extensively as the Dirt Road Economist, where he focused on the necessity of reenforcing the foundations which undergird our free society. He works to promote Constitutional conservatism with the knowledge that this produces robust local economies, individual liberty, and fosters personal responsibility.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from UCLA and a Master’s Degree from Biola University.
Noah Malgeri
Las Vegas, NV
Noah Malgeri is an accomplished patent attorney, engineer, and Iraq War veteran. Noah is a patriot who appreciates that being an American is a profound privilege. Noah has practiced law on three continents and holds both American and German law degrees.
Despite the demands of his professional career, Noah has always maintained a commitment to public service. After serving in the U.S. Army, Noah directed the largest pro bono legal services organization in the state of Nevada for five years, providing critical pro bono representation to our community’s most vulnerable, including every foster child in Clark County. For that service, he was recognized with the Vegas Legal Magazine Excellence Award.
Most recently, Noah ran for U.S. Congress in Nevada’s Third District. Today, Noah serves as in-house counsel and practices as a patent attorney. He’s also the founder and Chief Executive of Mojave Rail Fabrication, a company that designs and builds revolutionary roof racks in Southern Nevada based on his own patented invention.
Austin McCollum
Bentonville, AR
Rep. Austin McCollum is serving his fourth term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 8 which includes a portion of Benton County.
Rep. McCollum was elected House Majority Leader in 2020. During his tenure as Majority Leader in the 93rd General Assembly, he composed an aggressive conservative agenda that lowered licensing hurdles, restrained government growth, and protected the welfare system for the truly needy — while making it more difficult for bad actors to defraud taxpayers.
In the 94th General Assembly, Rep. McCollum serves on the House Public Transportation Committee and the House Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development. Much of his legislative work focuses on reducing barriers to work for Arkansans, lowering taxes, and limiting the size of government. Understanding there is still much opportunity for improvement in these areas, Rep McCollum is taking an active role in recruiting, training, and investing in future conservative leaders in the state.
Rep. McCollum is a graduate of the University of Tulsa. When he’s not doing the people’s work, he works in retail business analytics. Austin resides in Bentonville with his family and is a member of Cross Church Pinnacle Hills. He likes the idea of pickleball but has not yet played.
Mayes Middleton
Galveston, TX
Mayes Middleton resides in Galveston with his wife, Macy, and four children, Connor, Christian, Matthew, and Martha Ann. Mayes is president of Middleton Oil Company, an independent oil and gas company. He also runs ranching, cattle, and farming operations. Mayes and his wife support numerous local community organizations and faith-based charities.
Before his election to the Texas Senate in 2022, Mayes was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2018 to represent House District 23, encompassing Chambers County and part of Galveston County. In his two terms in the Legislature, Mayes has consistently ranked as one of the top 10 most conservative members of the Texas House. During his most recent term in the House, Mayes served as the Chairman of the Texas House Freedom Caucus.
Chris Miller
Oakland, IL
State Representative Chris Miller serves Illinois’s 101st District. He is a founding member and the current chairman of the Illinois Freedom Caucus.
Chris has been married for 42 years to Congresswoman Mary Miller. They have seven children and 20 grandchildren.
Chris earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Eureka College, and Associates of Science in Production Agriculture from Lakeland College. He farms and raises Angus seedstock.
Jordan Mollenhour
Knoxville, TN
Jordan Mollenhour is a 7th generation Tennessean, an entrepreneur, a business executive, and a committed supporter of those who similarly serve their communities across the Volunteer State. Appointed to the State Board of Education by Governor Bill Lee in November 2021, Jordan Mollenhour is committed to serving Tennessee’s students, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders in an effort to improve the lives of all Tennesseans of all ages.
Jordan began his working career at age 12; started his first business at age 16; attended the University of Tennessee full-time while growing his companies; and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a full-time MBA, and a law degree (all from UT-Knoxville). He most recently graduated from The Wharton School in Philadelphia, earning an Executive MBA with academic honors and receiving the Benjamin Franklin Award, an elected distinction given to one member of each graduating class.
Jordan and business partner, Dustin Gross, founded the privately-owned investment firm Mollenhour Gross, LLC in 2004 and together, they have since started, acquired, or invested in numerous businesses throughout the United States (some of which have been relocated to Knoxville). During the financial crisis of 2008, Jordan and Dustin (and their families) experienced total financial loss and learned many important life lessons through those difficult times. The experience forever changed their perspectives, and it shaped their understanding of the challenges that many families still face.
Jordan, Christina, and their four children remain actively involved in the Knoxville community, their church, a variety of social impact organizations, and in the lives of the many fine friends and family members who are a part of their journey. Jordan serves on the boards of the Trinity Health Foundation, the East Tennessee Historical Society, and the Knoxville Chamber. He is also the recently appointed Vice-Chair of the Trinity Health Foundation, a trustee at his church, and serves on the Board of Advisors at the Anderson Center at the University of Tennessee.
Adam Morgan
Greenville, SC
Adam Morgan is an attorney, legislator, composer, and the president of Majesty Music, a publishing company and music school in Greenville, South Carolina. He received an undergraduate degree from Bob Jones University and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina, School of Law.
In 2018, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives where he currently serves as the Chairman of the Transportation Committee. In 2022, he and the other conservatives founded the South Carolina Freedom Caucus where he currently serves as Chairman. He is married with three children under age five.
Adam Niemerg
Dieterich, IL
Adam Niemerg is a state representative for Illinois, serving since January 2021. He was born and raised in Teutopolis and resides in rural Dieterich with his wife, Trina, and two children. After completing his Associate’s degree at Lake Land College, Adam continued his education at Eastern Illinois University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in History. He then worked for 12 years as a property claims specialist with Country Financial Insurance Company before running for state representative. With Country Insurance, he managed employees and oversaw budget and site planning.
Adam ran on a platform of parental rights, a belief in the right to life for unborn children and strong support for the Second Amendment. He is an advocate of fiscal conservatism and limited government. He currently represents all or portions of 11 counties in Illinois, including, Champaign, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Lawrence, Jasper, and Vermillion Counties.
Adam has actively fought to reduce lockdowns and to remove masking in schools and vaccine mandates. In addition, he successfully negotiated the removal of masks from the Illinois House floor and has been vocal in pushing back against far left ideology that has taken hold of many of our institutions.
Adam serves on several committees, including the Illinois House Appropriations General Services, Consumer Protection, Elementary and Secondary Education School Curriculum and Policy, Insurance, Restorative Justice, and Labor & Commerce Committees.
As a St. Isidore Catholic Parish member, Adam prioritizes his community and values traditional family and religious principles.
Marlo Oaks
Salt Lake City, UT
Marlo Oaks was appointed Utah’s 26th state treasurer in June 2021. As the state’s chief investment and chief banking officer, Marlo is responsible for debt, cash, and investments, including the $30 billion Public Treasurer’s Investment Fund. He also administers Utah’s Unclaimed Property Division.
Marlo spent 17 years overseeing multi-billion dollar investment portfolios. He is one of only two state treasurers with institutional investment experience. Marlo completed a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brigham Young University, a Master of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson and holds the CFA and CAIA designations.
Robert Onder
St. Louis, MO
Senator Robert (Dr. Bob) Onder, a lifelong Missourian, is finishing his second term in the Missouri State Senate. Bob received his MD from Washington University in St. Louis and his JD from St. Louis University. Bob is a medical doctor who is board certified in Allergy-Immunology and Internal Medicine.
In the Missouri Senate, he served for three years as the assistant majority floor leader. He has been endorsed by Missouri Right to Life and the NRA. He has earned 100% ratings from the American Conservative Union and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Onder has worked for smaller government, tax reduction, and personal liberty. During his time in the senate, he worked tirelessly to cut individual and small business taxes and end the personal property tax. He passed ride-share and professional licensing deregulation. He was the author of SB 5 in 2017 and 2019, the “Heartbeat Bill” which Missouri Right to Life called the most important pro life bills in Missouri history. In 2018, he passed important school choice legislation. He was instrumental in the passage of the 2016 Constitutional Carry and 2019 Second Amendment Protection Act bills.
As he ends his legislative career, Senator Onder is remaining involved in politics and public policy. He engaged successfully in five Missouri Republican primaries, supporting free market conservatives over their moderate to liberal opponents. He does a twice-weekly radio commentary, “Dr. Bob’s Prescription,” on the St. Louis radio station Newstalk STL.
Senator Onder is married to his wife, Allison, and is the father of six children.
Jena Powell
Arcanum, OH
Jena Powell is serving her third term in the Ohio House of Representatives for the new 80th House District, which includes Miami County and the southern portion of Darke County. She is from southern Darke County where her family has been farming for generations.
After graduating with a degree in Business from Liberty University, Powell started a business in the district. She founded and leads the Ohio House Pro-Life Caucus and advocates for policies that will promote healthy families, small businesses, and thriving communities in Ohio. In 2019, Representative Powell was named to the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Law & Policy.
David Ray
Maumelle, AR
State Representative David Ray serves Arkansas’s 69th District. He is serving in his second term in the Arkansas House of Representatives and serves on both the Revenue and Tax Committee and the City, County, and Local Affairs Committee. He is also Vice-Chairman of the Joint Performance Review Committee. Prior to being elected to the House, David served as the Chief of Staff to Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin. A 2007 graduate of University of the Ozarks, David has spent over a decade working in electoral and issue politics in eight different states. He has managed two Congressional races as well as two statewide races for Attorney General. David also served as the communications director for U.S. Senator Tom Cotton’s successful 2014 U.S. Senate campaign. He also served as the state director for Americans for Prosperity Arkansas.
David lives in Maumelle, Arkansas, and is married to his wife Jessica. They have a daughter, Charlotte, and a son, William.
Aaron Reitz
Austin, TX
Aaron Reitz serves as Texas’s Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy. He is Attorney General Paxton’s “offensive coordinator,” responsible for planning, staffing, and executing the Agency’s most consequential lawsuits and legal initiatives on matters including immigration and border security, federal-state disputes, election integrity, Big Tech, consumer protection, energy, the environment, pro-life issues, and the U.S. and Texas Constitutions.
Aaron graduated from Texas A&M University and was a member of the Corps of Cadets. After graduating, he was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps and married his high school sweetheart. He spent nearly five years on active duty and deployed to the northern Helmand Province of Afghanistan on an Embedded Training Team. He is still a Major in the Marine Corps Reserve. After the Marines, Aaron attended the University of Texas School of Law, where he served as President of the Texas Federalist Society and Editor in Chief of the Texas Review of Law & Politics. He began his career at Bracewell LLP in Houston and then clerked for Justice Jimmy Blacklock on the Texas Supreme Court.
Aaron and his wife, Meredith, have four children and a golden retriever. They are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in downtown Austin.
Adam Rosendale
Great Falls, MT
Adam Rosendale is owner, general contractorm, and carpenter for Black Sheep Contracting. He enjoys hunting and fishing, woodworking, and card games. He hopes to serve and restore the Republic.
He is a student of philosophy and carpentry, having an Associates degree in Applied Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Theology.
He has worked in construction since he was thirteen. He started with rebuilding the ranch he grew up on, and over the past twenty years, has worked in many areas from framing, siding, and roofing to sheetrock and painting.
Adam resides in Great Falls, Montana.
Nate Schatzline
Fort Worth, TX
Nate Schatzline is a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 93. He is a proud Christian, a devoted husband, and father of two boys. He is a former pastor and the founder of For Liberty & Justice, an organization that is dedicated to mobilizing the local church to see reformation in government. He also serves as the director of operations for The Justice Reform, an anti-human trafficking organization based out of Fort Worth, Texas.
Nate grew up along with his sister, traveling the world with his mom and dad who were ministers, authors, and business owners. He attributes much of his success to growing up in a loving home where he was taught to work hard, put family first, love people, and honor God in everything he does.
He graduated with his Bachelor’s degree from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, in Waxahachie, Texas, which is where he met his sweetheart and wife of 9 years, Adrienne. He then went on to graduate summa cum laude with his Master’s degree in Political Science at Liberty University.
His wife Adrienne is his best friend and greatest supporter, and his two boys, Jackson and Anderson, are the pride and joy of his life.
Stephanie Smith
Birmingham, AL
Stephanie Smith, wife of Dalton Smith and the mother of seven children, is an advocate with twenty-five years of experience herding both children and politicians. Stephanie is a cum laude graduate of Auburn University and a cum laude graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
Stephanie’s previous professional experience includes being the Director of Governmental Affairs for Regions Financial Corporation, President of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, Assistant Director & Deputy Director of Finance for the State of Alabama, as well as a campaign consultant for a multitude of political and advocacy issue campaigns, a political opinion contributor for statewide and national media, and the principal of Thatcher Coalition, LLC.
Stephanie has been a consistent, conservative political voice in Alabama politics and the greater movement since 1998. She currently serves as the President & CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute in Birmingham, Alabama.
Andrew Sorrell
Muscle Shoals, AL
Andrew Sorrell is a 37-year-old entrepreneur, private pilot, advanced SCUBA diver, Eagle Scout, and former state representative from House District 3 in Colbert County. Recently, Andrew was elected State Auditor of Alabama.
Andrew attended Muscle Shoals High School and graduated in 2004. By testing out of many credit hours, taking overloads, and enrolling in summer semesters, Andrew completed his 4-year Business Management degree at the University of North Alabama (UNA) in less than 2 years, finishing in July 2006.
Andrew started his first company at age 16, and currently owns part or all of four different Alabama-based businesses. He also owns multiple rental properties, both commercial and residential.
Andrew resides in Muscle Shoals where he and his wife, Hannah, recently built a home. Their first child was born on October 18th, 2021, a daughter they named Liberty.
Blaine Wilhour
Beecher City, IL
Blaine Wilhour is a 3-term Illinois State Representative with a reputation for leading the charge against dysfunctional government policies that stifle the economy and limit freedom. He is an active advocate for policies to lower taxes, promote smart deregulation, reduce inflation, protect parental rights, and implement energy policies that provide working families with affordable and accessible energy.
Blaine served as an Army Intelligence Analyst from 1999-2005 and is a Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and a former member of the Fayette County Board. He resides with his wife, Amber, and their three sons on his farm in rural Beecher City, Illinois.
In addition to his political career, Blaine is a partner in Wilhour Farms, LLC, where he has played a critical role in recruiting and executing new farmland acquisitions and negotiating contract terms with landowners. He is also a managing partner of Longhorn Buildings, LLC, where he makes hiring decisions, negotiates and manages extensive vendor relationships, and oversees all sales and marketing operations.
Blaine is a public speaker, having spoken on behalf of good government groups like OpenTheBooks.com. He has appeared on national news programs such as the Tucker Carlson show and is a 2023 Fellow with the Club for Growth Foundation. He is a member of the Illinois Freedom Caucus and continues to advocate for good government, transparency, accountability, and fiscal sanity in government.
Patrick Witt
Dunwoody, GA
Patrick is an entrepreneur and former senior government official from Atlanta, Georgia. He is currently CEO of a fast-growing startup aimed at helping independent contractors cost-effectively scale their businesses. Previously, Patrick served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Prior to government service, he was an engagement manager with McKinsey & Company.
Patrick is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School. As an undergraduate, Patrick excelled as a student-athlete for the Bulldogs. He started for three years at quarterback and broke numerous school records enroute to earning All-Ivy athletic and academic recognition. Patrick received Yale’s prestigious Francis Gordon Brown Prize, a distinction shared by former President George H.W. Bush, and was also a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, Rhodes, and Mitchell Scholarships. He was invited to the NFL Combine and signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints. In law school, Patrick was active in the Federalist Society and participated in ADF’s Blackstone Legal Fellowship.
Patrick is a proud uncle to Joan, Kirby, and Grace. He attends Passion City Church and can regularly be found at Truist Park cheering on the Braves. He is fluent in French.
Theodore Wold
Boise, ID
Theodore Wold is the Solicitor General of Idaho. Previously, Wold served as the Acting-Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice and Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy under President Donald Trump. Prior to his three-and-a-half years of service in the Trump White House, Wold previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel to United States Senator Mike Lee on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Wold holds a B.A. from Georgetown University, where he studied government and English; an M. Litt. from the University of St. Andrews, where he studied English literature; and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Wold clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for Judge Janice Rogers Brown and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for Judge José Antonio Fusté. Wold is a Washington Fellow at the Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life.
Wold and his wife have four children and live in Boise, Idaho.
Brice Wordsworth
Greenville, NC
Brice Wordsworth was born and raised in a small town in Eastern North Carolina, Rocky Mount. He currently works in law enforcement for the city of Greenville. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from North Carolina Wesleyan as well as a Master’s in Criminal Justice from East Carolina University. Brice looks forward to making lifelong connections and friends with like-minded people who share his values and aspirations.