Named after the town where the GOP was founded and inspired by the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt, The Ripon Society is a unique organization in both purpose and history. Our purpose is to provide forums for policymakers to present their views and discuss the most valuable commodity in Washington – ideas.

Indeed, ideas are at the root of our organization’s rich history. The Ripon Society was the first major Republican organization to support passage of the Civil Rights bill following the death of President Kennedy in the 1960s. In the early 1970s, it called for the normalization of relations with China before President Nixon’s historic trip to Beijing, and helped lead the effort to abolish the military draft as the Vietnam War was coming to an end.

“Ideas are at the root of our organization’s rich history.”

Today, The Ripon Society continues to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s past success.  These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low, and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter, and more accountable to the people.  We try to promote these ideas in a number of ways.

Six times a year, for instance, we publish The Ripon Forum, the longest running Republican journal of political thought and opinion in the United States.  In addition, we publish The Ripon Advance, a daily online publication that provides news and information about our elected leaders and their ideas to make government work.

The Ripon Society also holds a regular series of breakfasts, lunches and other events geared around the issues of the day and the challenges facing our nation.