It’s time.
Time for conservatives to take a pause and realize that yes, amidst the whirlwind of current events, this is indeed a Conservative Moment — and a good one.
Lest anyone out there think I’ve taken leave of my senses, a look back in history may be needed.
Once upon a time there was no “conservative” movement to speak of. The conservative “leader” as such was Ohio’s Republican Senator Robert Taft. Taft, the son of President William Howard Taft, was very much the “Mr. Conservative” of his day.
Serving in the U.S. Senate from his election in 1939 until his death in 1953, Taft would several times seek the GOP presidential nomination. Losing each time, most notably in 1952 when running against World War II hero General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Eisenhower was the champion of the GOP moderates of the day; his eventual nod in the conservative direction was picking young rising star California congressman and later senator Richard Nixon as his running mate. Nixon, who had built his reputation tracking down Communists in government, notably liberal idol and Roosevelt/Truman political appointee Alger Hiss, was seen in the day as a vivid anti-Communist. (RELATED: Nixonmaxxing: From Watergate to Gen Z White Pill)
But by the end of the Eisenhower administration’s two terms, there were rumblings on the Right — and focus began to shift to Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. With Nixon’s loss to John F. Kennedy in 1960, Goldwater and his decided conservative allies set about targeting the 1964 GOP presidential nomination. After a bruising series of primaries, Goldwater did indeed win the nomination. Alas, he wound up getting clobbered by Democrat President Lyndon Johnson.
But this is where the conservative rise really begins. During the 1964 campaign, Goldwater’s supporters decided to show a televised speech by actor Ronald Reagan. The speech was called “A Time for Choosing” — and Reagan was a hit. So much of a hit that when Goldwater lost, a move to draft Reagan for governor of California two years later was on the move — and succeeded.
And, notably, right there in the mid-sixties, 1967 to be precise, The American Spectator — the publication you are now reading and led by the inimitable R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. came into being.
Long story short, the conservative movement became a considerable success, with Reagan “Reaganizing” the GOP, getting elected twice to the White House and bringing along with him a decidedly conservative Republican Party.
And in classic American style, all manner of conservative operatives and organizations followed in Reagan’s footsteps. Indeed, Reagan, today long gone, paved the way for conservative control of the GOP. And in today’s GOP world, that control rests in the hands of President Donald Trump. Trump, as president, has made a point of appointing conservatives to all manner of positions in the federal government, not to mention on the federal bench. The latter, notably, include Judges Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh, all of whom were Trump Supreme Court nominees confirmed and are now in place on the highest court in the land.
So, taken all together, what does this mean? It means that as the country cruises into the 2026 midterm elections, the conservative movement will be out in force…
Notably, conservatives swarmed into the media, not only gaining voices in the so-called “mainstream media” but blossoming into new media that once upon a time simply did not exist. Leading that charge was the late Rush Limbaugh, who almost single-handedly led the popularity of what is known today as “talk radio.”
Media baron Rupert Murdoch jumped into the fray by creating Fox News. Then, down the road, came longtime conservative journalist Christopher Ruddy, who created Newsmax. Both a TV outlet and print magazine, Newsmax has itself become a conservative hit. (And yes, full disclosure, I am a Newsmax contributor.)
Taken all together, with the vigorous support of an energized conservative movement that today includes the American Conservative Union — led by Trump allies and decided conservatives Matt and Mercedes Schlapp — this era of American history is without question going to be recognized for both its staunch support of the conservative movement and the success of that movement moving forward. Indeed, as this is written, conversations have already begun as to who will carry the conservative banner in the 2028 presidential election.
And not to be forgotten is the blossoming of conservative media outlets on the Internet or in print. Indeed, the American Spectator, which you are reading at this moment, was one of the first conservative media outlets in print and now Internet form, founded by the decidedly energetic R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. Along with William F. Buckley’s National Review and The Washington Times, conservatism in print has become a considerable individual and collective success. (RELATED: Why the Best Conservative Is a Little Libertarian)
Which is to say, the conservative movement is on a roll. Whether it’s President Trump in the White House, various judges on the federal bench, not to mention a majority of members in the House and Senate and media outlets like the one you are reading, it is crystal clear that the conservative moment is eons away from its humble beginnings with the lonely voice of Senator Robert Taft.
So, taken all together, what does this mean? It means that as the country cruises into the 2026 midterm elections, the conservative movement will be out in force supporting this, that, or another conservative candidate for the various political offices at the federal, state, and local levels. Not to mention supporting the various hot ballot issues that inevitably surface in an election year. (RELATED: Why Republicans May Defy Midterm History)
All of which is to say that it’s now August. The midterm elections are approaching and gaining speed. American politics, with all of the activism and chaos that always brings, is now arriving.
And as I frequently say in this space: Buckle in.
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