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Ned Ryun is an American conservative activist and the founder and CEO of American Majority, a conservative organization that trains candidates and activists.

Education and background

Ryun is the son of Jim Ryun, the former Republican congressman and distance runner.[1][2][3]

Career in government and as conservative activist

Ryun was a speechwriter for President George W. Bush.[4] He is the founder and president of American Majority, a Virginia-based conservative political training institute allied with the Tea Party movement.[5][6] The group was founded in 2008.[2] Its 501(c)(4) affiliate is American Majority Action,[7] of which Ryun was CEO.[8] Ryun has been a board member of the American Conservative Union.[9][10] During the 2011 Wisconsin protests against Republican Governor Scott Walker's proposal to restrict collective bargaining and organized labor, Ryun helped organize counter-demonstrations in favor of the legislation.[11][12]

A career Republican Party operative,[3] as of 2013 Ryun was the CEO of Voter Gravity, a Republican data firm used for the party's get out the vote efforts; the company created "tablet and smartphone accessible canvassing maps, walk lists, voter information and dialing tools."[13] In 2016, Ryun was a long-shot candidate for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee.[3][14]

Ryun was a staunch ally of Donald Trump.[15] In 2017, Ryun critiqued the Republican tax proposal for not going far enough, accusing the bill of being " a grab bag of goodies for the uberwealthy globalists."[16] In September 2020, after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, Ryun pushed for Trump to fill the vacancy created by Ginsburg's death before the November 2020 presidential election.[17] He pushed for Trump to nominate Amy Coney Barrett over Barbara Lagoa.[15] Ryun was appointed by Trump to his 1776 Commission, which produced a report on American history that linked progressivism to fascism. The New York Times noted that the report was criticized by mainstream historians.[18]

Ryun is the author of two books:

  • The Adversaries: A Story of Boston and Bunker Hill (2021) ISBN 979-8514466689
  • Restoring Our Republic: The Making of the Republic and How We Reclaim It Before It's Too Late (2019) ISBN 978-1705870778

In addition, he has co-authored two books with his father and twin brother, Drew Ryun:

  • Heroes Among Us (2002)[19]
  • The Courage to Run (Gospel Light Publications: 2006), ISBN 0-8307-3908-4

References

  1. ^ David Boyce, Ryun Twins Following in Their Father's Footsteps-Sort Of, Kansas City Star (May 20, 1990).
  2. ^ a b Elena Schneider, Feingold State Department documents won’t pop before 2016 election, Politico (September 8, 2016).
  3. ^ a b c Elena Schneider, Each party's Senate hopes rests on least-known candidate, Politico (November 2, 2016).
  4. ^ Brady Dennis, National Wisconsin protests continue; counter-demonstrators support governor's bill, Washington Post (February 20, 2011).
  5. ^ Jerry Markon, Tea party stays on the sidelines as Obama, Republicans in Congress tackle fiscal cliff, Washington Post (December 23, 2012).
  6. ^ Trip Gabriel, A Tea Party Leader Tells Bachmann to Quit, New York Times (October 28, 2011).
  7. ^ "American Majority Action". American Majority Action. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  8. ^ Robin Bravender, Tea party making its voice heard, Politico (August 2, 2012).
  9. ^ Alan Rappeport, Will Rule Changes Break Pauls' Monopoly on CPAC's Straw Poll?, New York Times (February 24, 2015).
  10. ^ Nick Corasaniti and Alan Rappeport, At CPAC, Pushing Republican Hopefuls to Dive Into Policy Specifics, New York Times (February 27, 2015).
  11. ^ Wisconsin protests continue; counter-demonstrators support governor's bill, Washington Post (February 19, 2011).
  12. ^ Wis. governor predicts Democrats will return to debate union rights, Reuters via Washington Post (February 20, 2011).
  13. ^ Bryon Tau (December 4, 2013). "GOP data firm adds big name". Politico.
  14. ^ Kyle Cheney & Shane Goldmacher, Short list emerges for RNC chair, Politico (November 14, 2016).
  15. ^ a b Alex Isenstadt & Marc Caputo, Trumpworld clashes over Barrett vs. Lagoa, Politico (September 22, 2020).
  16. ^ Anna Dubenko, Right and Left React to the Republican Tax Plan, New York Times (November 21, 2017).
  17. ^ Margaret Sullivan, The tortured logic from right-wing media about replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Washington Post (September 19, 2020).
  18. ^ Michael Crowley & Jennifer Schuessler, Trump's 1776 Commission Critiques Liberalism in Report Derided by Historians, New York Times (January 18, 2021).
  19. ^ "ROLE OF FAITH Ryun to speak at assembly". York Daily Record. July 2, 2005. Retrieved 2008-10-12.

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