JD Vance tech donor group, Rockbridge, seeks ‘aristocracy’

Tomorrow morning, we’ll release the latest episode of the Nerd Reich podcast—an episode focused on how the venture capital model is warping US politics.

Today, I wanted to share a gift link to this must-read Washington Post story. Reporter Elizabeth Dwoskin takes a deep dive on Rockbridge, a tech donor network co-founded by JD Vance that seeks to create an American “aristocracy” by taking a venture capital approach to politics.

From “The secretive donor circle that lifted JD Vance is now re-writing MAGA’s future”:

With significant funding from tech leaders, Rockbridge aims to equip MAGA to outlive Trump. The group has no website or public-facing entity, but it has assembled pollsters, data crunchers, online advertisers and even a documentary film arm.

It is gearing up to deploy its arsenal in the 2026 midterms and in the 2028 presidential contest, in which many Rockbridge members hope Vance will be the nominee. The group has assembled a database with deep profiles of potential voters through nonpolitical memberships, including outdoors groups and churches, according to a person directly familiar with the organization.

Vance co-founded Rockbridge in 2019 with help from his longtime benefactor, Peter Thiel. Tech oligarchs Marc Andreessen and David Sacks are enthusiastic supporters, and Rockbridge’s influence is growing.

Today, it is led by its co-founder, a right-wing activist named Chris Buskirk.

“You either have an extractive elite—an oligarchy—or you have a productive elite—an aristocracy—in every society,” Buskirk told the Post.

From the story:

Today, the group’s vibe is euphoric. Interest has surged since the election, according to Buskirk, with roughly half of new members coming from the tech industry. Several of the group’s members are billionaires; prominent investors Marc Andreessen and David Sacks are already members.