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Jeffrey Clark is GOP star after trying to use DOJ to overturn election
Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Washington Post
AUGUST 3, 2023
After trying to use the Justice Department to delegitimize the 2020 vote, Clark has become a rising legal star for Republicans.
Is Trump's Latest Indictment About Defending Democracy or Attacking Free Speech?
Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Washington Post
AUGUST 2, 2023
"This presents anew a defining question for our country: law or men? Choose law," tweeted Heath Mayo of the reformist conservative group Principles First.
Tucker and Candace Are the GOP’s Future
Tim Miller, The Bulwark
July 20, 2023
Individual rights and personal responsibility are out; reflexive contrarianism is in.
Ted Cruz Makes Yet Another Cancun Joke That Leaves Twitter Users Cold
David Moye, The Huffington Post
MAY 19, 2023
The Texas senator keeps bringing up his infamous Mexico trip during the state's 2021 record-cold temperatures, where more than 200 people died.
Hope and Despair on the Campaign Trail ‘24
Jason Dick, Daniela Altimari, and Mary Ellen McIntire, Roll Call
MARCH 23, 2023
Trump-first Republicans have CPAC. Never Trumpers have Principles First. And on one magical weekend, the twain did meet, or at least met at roughly the same time.
Amb. John Bolton: I Thought Trump Would Be Disciplined
Charlie Sykes, The Bulwark
MARCH 6, 2023
John Bolton thought he could create a coherent foreign policy for Trump, but now sees he was naive. Plus, Charlie Sykes asks Bolton about his early defense of Trump’s relations with Putin — and why he didn’t testify during the first impeachment. Bolton spoke with Sykes at the Principles First Summit.
Never Trumpers rally in D.C., trying to find hope and a plan amid despair
Ally Mutnick, Politico
MARCH 6, 2023
A two-day conference in the nation’s capital was a counter-programing, of sorts, to the MAGA confab happening just down the river.
Trump wows one GOP group as another dreads his return in 2024
Mary Ellen McIntire and Daniela Altimari, Roll Call
MARCH 6, 2023
Comstock: Trump on ballot ‘has to strike fear’ in suburban candidates
In Defense of the Can-Do America
Heath Mayo, Substack
MARCH 6, 2023
The transcript of my opening remarks at the 2023 Principles First Summit.
Hogan decision not to run for president hits as potential supporters meet
Mary Ellen McIntire, Roll Call
MARCH 5, 2023
Hogan cites risk of ‘multicar pileup’ of opponents that helps Trump.
CPAC 2023 Preview: Pitchforks and Propaganada
Peter Montgomery, Right Wing Watch
FEBRUARY 28, 2023
A group of non-Trumpist conservatives has organized an alternative to CPAC, which they call the Principles First Summit.
Ditching CPAC
Charlie Sykes, The Bulwark
FEBRUARY 27, 2023
The annual Star Wars bar scene of CPAC opens this weekend, but so does an alternative — the Principles First conference.
Stop the Circus: Close the Curtain on CPAC
Heath Mayo, Substack
FEBRUARY 26, 2023
Why we need the Principles First Summit.
Mitt Romney’s Beard: A Review
Christina Cauterucci, Slate
DECEMBER 1, 2022
An ode to his bristly chin, too quickly shorn.
Outcry as Republican Nikki Haley says Raphael Warnock should be ‘deported'
Martin Pengelly, The Guardian
NOVEMBER 7, 2022
Comments from former South Carolina governor and UN envoy, seen as a potential 2024 candidate, draw widespread criticism.
The GOP's new, Russia-friendly campaign-trail buddy: Tulsi Gabbard
Andrew Desiderio, Politico
NOVEMBER 4, 2022
“It's clear to everyone that what Tulsi Gabbard represents,” Mayo added, “is isolationism and excuses for dictators.”
Critics blast hypocrisy of attacking Fetterman's debate performance while supporting Herschel Walker
David Badash, Raw Story
OCTOBER 26, 2022
Conservative attorney and Principles First Founder Heath Mayo objectively summed up the apparent hypocrisy - "If you thought Fetterman's debate performance suggests he should not be a US Senator... you can't support Herschel Walker either. Period."
Democracy Is Too Important To Be Left To the Lawyers.
Charlie Sykes, The Bulwark
SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
Liz Cheney made some news Saturday night at the Texas Tribune Festival by crossing a red line that she's been reluctant to breach until now.
A Principled Journey
Lynn Schmidt, The Bulwark
AUGUST 25, 2022
Being principled means being honest. It also requires acknowledging that truth and fighting back against cognitive dissonance.
Liz Cheney is the leader of the anti-Trump Republican resistance – where does it go now?
David Smith, The Guardian
AUGUST 20, 2022
The January 6 co-chair has been anointed the valiant leader of the Never Trump movement. But does that make her a general without an army?
What will it mean for Trump – and Biden – if Liz Cheney runs in 2024?
David Smith, The Guardian
AUGUST 17, 2022
Heath Mayo, 32, a lawyer, said: “On the question about the future of the party, there are few people making an argument counter to the prevailing Trumpism argument. She's the only one that can make it. I hope she runs for president in 2024. She needs to be on that stage making that argument again, even if she loses. Keep making the argument.”
Why top Republican Liz Cheney is close to losing the Wyoming primary
Willy Lowry, The National
AUGUST 14, 2022
The National visits anti-Trump congresswoman's home state to discover why she might soon be out of a job.
The McCarthy-Cheney Split Comes to a Head in Tuesday's Primary
Audrey Fahlberg, The Dispatch
AUGUST 16, 2022
As Liz Cheney has focused on the January 6 investigations, Kevin McCarthy has boosted her election-denying opponent.
Wyoming's dedication to Donald Trump likely means the end of the road for Liz Cheney
Katie Simpson, CBC NEWS
AUGUST 16, 2022
Incumbent congresswoman is widely expected to lose the Republican primary to a Trump-backed challenger.
Minnesotans travel to Wyoming to support Liz Cheney
Joe Hiti, 830 WCCO | NEWS | TALK
AUGUST 16, 2022
In an effort to help support Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, one Minnesota woman with Principles First MN joined a group of conservatives who journeyed to the state to help campaign for the Republican who has been under attack by her own political party.
Will a liberal group succeed in trying to keep Marjorie Taylor Greene off ballot?
Dan Abrams Live
APRIL 19, 2022
A liberal group is trying to keep Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene off the ballot. Dan Abrams is joined by conservative activist Heath Mayo to talk about the prospect of it happening.
Heckler has choice words for GOP candidate Lombardo
Jessica Hill, Las Vegas Sun
MARCH 29, 2022
Heath Mayo, founder of Principles First, a grassroots organization built by citizens who are unhappy with the current state of politics and the Republican Party, said those who intimidate or harass a public official figures because they are unhappy with their politics is “anti-American.”
Is the Trump train the only option for GOP candidates in Nevada?
Jessica Hill, Las Vegas Sun
MARCH 6, 2022
Conservatives at the Principles First summit last weekend in Washington wanted to see a return to civility and mutual respect and the dissolving of, let's just say, more candid speech that former President Donald Trump popularized within the party.
The McCarthy-'Unafraid to Lose'
Audrey Fahlberg, The Dispatch
MARCH 1, 2022
Anti-Trump conservatives consider their path forward despite bleak electoral prospects.
Anti-Trump Republicans struggle to plot path forward
Peter Nicholas, NBC News
MARCH 1, 2022
Many participants at the Principles First summit Saturday and Sunday in Washington were in one way or another casualties of the MAGA movement.
Summit of ‘principled conservatives' offers itself as alternative to Trumpists
Jessica Hill, Las Vegas Sun
MARCH 1, 2022
Many of the attendees of the summit are lifelong Republicans who feel like they have no place in the Grand Old Party, which they have seen overtaken by extremists who have been given a platform in following Trump's lead. They want to see the party return to the founding principles of limited government, free market and free people.
Kinzinger to keep fight against Trumpism going after House, but hedges on 2024
Herb Jackson, Roll Call
FEBRUARY 28, 2022
Illinois Republican voted for impeachment, serves on Jan. 6 panel
Conservative Journalists on Threats to Democracy From Political Extremists
C-SPAN
FEBRUARY 27, 2022
William Kristol led a discussion of conservative opinion journalists on threats to democracy posed by political extremists from both the right and left in the United States. Mona Charen and Charles Sykes of the Bulwark and Cathy Young also participated. The conversation was part of the “First Principles” Summit, a gathering in Washington, D.C., of Republicans who oppose former President Donald Trump.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger at Principles First Summit
C-SPAN
FEBRUARY 27, 2022
Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) spoke at the Principles First Summit, a gathering in Washington, D.C., of Republicans who oppose former President Donald Trump. Representative Kinzinger talked about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a possible watershed moment in the Republican Party and American politics. He also discussed the issues he believes are most pressing in the country as well as the legacy of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Discussion on Whether to Leave the Republican Party
C-SPAN
FEBRUARY 27, 2022
Former Republican Representatives Barbara Comstock (VA) and Joe Walsh (IL), both of whom oppose former President Donald Trump, participated in a discussion about whether it is better to stay in the Republican Party or leave it. Other panelists included a one-time congressional candidate and a former member of the Trump administration. The conversation was part of the Principles First" summit, a gathering of anti-Trump Republicans, in Washington, D.C.
A MAGA gala, a far-right rally, and a plea for Jan. 6 justice: Trio of summits tests GOP's future
Isaac Stanley-Becker and Josh Dawsey, The Washington Post
FEBRUARY 26, 2022
At the Conservative Political Action Conference and two alternatives, the question was how much the American right should stress cultural grievances harnessed by Trump.
Principles First Summit: Alexander Vindman on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
C-SPAN
FEBRUARY 26, 2022
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, National Security Council director for European Affairs during the Trump administration, addressed the “Principles First” summit. He talked about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and steps the U.S. and European allies can take to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia. He also called on U.S. lawmakers to set aside differences to focus on solutions to end the conflict. The two-day conference was organized by Republican critics of former President Donald Trump.
CPAC: From ‘City Upon a Hill' to ‘Anti-Anti-Putin'
Blake Hounshell and Leah Askarinam, The New York Times
FEBRUARY 23, 2022
An annual meeting of conservatives was a launchpad for Ronald Reagan's American idealism. Today, it's a platform for a very different view of the world.
CPAC now facing counterprogramming from other Republicans
Dan Abrams Live
FEBRUARY 22, 2022
This year, for the first time, CPAC will face some counterprogramming from other Republicans. Heath mayo, an attorney and the Republican activist, is trying to dethrone CPAC. He organized the “Principles First” summit.
Trump's GOP critics to gather in Washington with an eye on 2024 presidential race
Bob Costa, CBS News
FEBRUARY 21, 2022
A group of Republican critics of former President Donald Trump will gather in Washington, D.C., this week to cheer on the two GOP members of the House select committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.
With Liz Cheney's re-election prospects in doubt, her national profile grows
Peter Nicholas and Allan Smith, NBC News
FEBRUARY 26, 2022
The Wyoming Republican has reached hero status among the anti-Trump right and is raising millions of dollars. But the former president has made her a top target for primary defeat.
Heath Mayo: Reimagining American Conservatism
Charlie Sykes, The Bulwark
FEBRUARY 25, 2022
While CPAC is mocking, meme-ing and owning the libs, a different summit —one for principled conservatives — is convening this weekend to reconceptualize the movement. Principles First's Heath Mayo joins Charlie Sykes on the podcast.
GOP critics of Trump to gather in DC to offer CPAC ‘counterprogramming'
Mychael Schnell, The Hill
FEBRUARY 21, 2022
Republican figures opposed to former President Trump will gather in Washington, D.C., this weekend for an event that has been subbed “counterprogramming” of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which is also set to take place this weekend.
Insurrectionist Republicans, reflections on a sad anniversary, and what if Roe is reversed
Mona Charen, The Bulwark
SEPTEMBER 10, 2021
Heath Mayo, founder of Principles First, joins the regular panel to discuss abortion, insurrection, and whether the global war on terror was a mistake.
‘A call for American renewal': A manifesto from over 150 Republican Party reformers
David Lightman, Deseret News
MAY 13, 2021
Evan McMullin, Miles Taylor and other prominent conservatives announce a new political movement.
Abbott's mixed messages on who's to blame for Texas power woes ‘not useful', communications experts say
Robert T. Garrett, Dallas Morning News
FEBRUARY 27, 2021
Depending on the audience, the GOP governor cites frozen natural gas pipelines – or iced-up wind turbines.
Republicans' law-and-order message tarnished by U.S. Capitol breach
Briana Bierschbach, Star Tribune
January 9, 2021
Dave Thul, a former Republican Party activist in the First District, said Republicans used that message effectively in 2020 but now it's "not going to be there anymore." What's more, he said, Democrats can now effectively use the same message against them.
A New Manifesto for Texas Conservatives
Heath Mayo, Texas Monthly
NOVEMBER 2020
As a lifelong Republican—and, more recently, dedicated Never Trumper—it's clear to me that the state GOP desperately needs to enter the twenty-first century.
Anti-Trump Conservatives: Forgotten But Not Gone
Declan Garvey, The Dispatch
MARCH 3, 2020
The Summit on Principled Conservatism grapples with the different ways Trump has affected the movement.
At CPAC For Never Trumpers, Loathing, Fear, And A Fight For Survival
Blake Hounshell and Leah Askarinam, Vanity Fair
FEBRUARY 26, 2020
As Trumpworld parties at the real CPAC, Bill Kristol and the rest are putting on the “Summit on Principled Conservatism,” where they'll game out their future—if it exists.
Does the GOP's ‘big tent' still exist? SC Republicans wrestle with party under Trump
Bob Costa, CBS News
AUGUST 22, 2019
In 2016, lifelong Republican Lisa Savage walked into a voting booth in Charleston and cast her vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton.
CPAC exiles grapple with the new devotion to Trump
Tina Nguyen, POLITICO
FEBRUARY 29, 2020
The conference where Reagan first spoke of his “shining city upon a hill” is a struggle for a band of conservatives from the pre-Trump era.
A Conservative Festivus
Jim Swift, The Bulwark
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
The time has come for an airing of grievances.
Some conservatives are rejecting star-studded CPAC to talk about the national debt
David Lightman, The Bellingham Herald
FEBRUARY 27, 2019
Heath Mayo had had enough of CPAC, and now his idea of getting a few friends together to talk conservative issues as an alternative to the star-studded, high-priced event has mushroomed into a national movement to skip the Conservative Political Action Conference altogether.
Minnesota GOP rejects anti-Donald Trump party member welcome
David Montgomery, Pioneer Press
May 21, 2016
A group of Minnesota Republicans opposed to Donald Trump had what they thought was a modest proposal: make it clear that one could still be a good Republican without supporting Trump as the Republican nominee.