Mr. Vance’s new job is likely to make Rockbridge and its 150 members influential players in pushing the Trump agenda.

In part, that is because Mr. Trump has had a sometimes frosty relationship with traditional Republican donor groups,
including the libertarian Koch Network
and the more hawkish American Opportunity Alliance.

Rockbridge, by contrast, was born in the Trump era and shares his edginess,
if not the wealth of those rival networks.

“There’s a decision that big conservative donors have to make here,” said #Oren #Cass,
an influential conservative economist in Mr. Vance’s orbit
who is close with these major donors.

“Up until the 2024 election, there was at least a colorable case to be made that maybe Trump isn’t going to succeed.”

That case is now no longer colorable, Mr. Cass said.

“Who is stuck in the cargo hold of the old ship and going down with it
— and who actually wants to be relevant to the future of conservatism?” he asked.

Mr. #Buskirk told donors in Las Vegas that during the campaign, Rockbridge had about 3,000 people in the field working on Mr. Trump’s behalf.

Now, after the Republican victory, Mr. Buskirk said, it was time for Rockbridge projects to grow even bigger.