Project 2025: The Fascist Republican Party's Deep Cancerous Connections

Andra Watkins writes: The Republican Party and 45 may try to gaslight about their ties to Project 2025, but it is the true platform of the Fascist Republican Party.
Published:July 20, 2024
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*Andra Watkins is an award winning author, survivor of Christian Nationalism and an expert on Project 2025. Read and support her important work here: How Project 2025 Will Ruin Your Life


By Andra Watkins

When 45 denied knowing anything about Project 2025, the mainstream press saw a way to claw back some credibility. “Here’s a way to prove he’s lying,” they said. “We’ll compile a list of every contributor who worked in his administration.”

While worthwhile, I’ve been insisting that it’s important to pay attention to the Republicans behind 45.

There can be no denying that Project 2025 is fully embedded within the Republican Party and its partisan enablers. With the volunteer help of dedicated P2025WRYL readers, I compiled a public spreadsheet of the almost 250 contributors to Project 2025. It lists every connection we could find to Republican politicians, Republican donors, and Republican judges and justices. They aim to saddle Americans with their fascism, their gaslighting, their weaponized Christianity, and their relentless pursuit of power long after 45 is gone.


Four contributors (Joseph Masterman, David Moore, Paul Ray, and Matt Bowman) clerked for Samuel Alito, either while he was a circuit court judge or a Supreme Court justice. One (David Moore) clerked for him in both roles.

One contributor (Stephen G. Bradbury) clerked for Clarence Thomas. Thomas cited another contributor (Jeff Anderson) in his US v Hansen opinion.

One contributor (Jordan Richardson) clerked for Aileen Cannon. Another (John Ehrett) clerked for James Ho.

Multiple contributors worked in the offices and/or collaborated with a long list of Republicans.

  • Mike Lee
  • Elise Stefanik
  • Scott Perry
  • Marco Rubio
  • Ted Cruz
  • Ron DeSantis
  • Nikki Haley
  • Ron Johnson
  • Kristi Noem
  • Steve Daines
  • JD Vance
  • Josh Hawley
  • Rick Scott
  • Rudy Giuliani
  • Rand Paul
  • Henry McMaster
  • Todd Young
  • Raul Labrador
  • Ohio Majority Floor Leader Bill Seitz
  • Vivek Ramaswamy
  • Mike Pence
  • Blake Masters
  • Mitt Romney
  • James Lankford
  • Cindy Hyde-Smith
  • Marsha Blackburn
  • Harriet Hageman
  • Tom Cotton
  • Chuck Grassley
  • Mike Johnson
  • Tom Cole
  • Ginni Thomas
  • JC Watts
  • Bill Cassidy
  • Thom Tillis
  • Jason Smith
  • Sean Duffy
  • August Pfluger
  • Mike Turner
  • John Kennedy
  • Carl Tepper (TX)
  • Brian Birdwell (TX)
  • Tan Parker (TX)
  • Andy Biggs
  • Matt Gaetz


One contributor, Richard Hanania, wrote for alt-right and white supremacist publications under the pseudonym Richard Hoste from 2008 to the early 2010s. According to journalists, he continues to make racist statements.

Several organizations where contributors work or have worked are classified as Hate Groups by the The Southern Poverty Law Center: Center for Immigration Studies (6 contributors), Alliance Defending Freedom (5 contributors), Federation for American Immigration Reform (3 contributors), Family Research Council (2 contributors), Center for Security Policy (1 contributor), and Family Watch International (1 contributor).

At least one hate group, the Family Research Council, classifies itself as a church for 501c3 purposes to avoid financial reporting requirements. (If one takes nothing else away from this exercise, please let it be that churches, political think tanks, and religious non-profits need to pay taxes.)

Multiple contributors have connections to Charles Koch.

At least two contributors (Tom Homan, now at the Heritage Foundation; and John Zadrozny, now at Stephen Miller’s America First Legal Foundation) participated in 45’s Family Separation Policy.

One contributor (Trent McCotter) authored a legal brief with Ted Cruz and Mike Johnson in the Loper Bright case, also known as the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Chevron, a stated policy goal of Project 2025.

Twelve contributors have connections to Ben Carson.

The Republican Party and 45 may try to gaslight about their ties to Project 2025, but it is the true platform of the Fascist Republican Party. Its contributors have deep connections to prominent Republicans whose goal is to transform American democracy into fascist theocracy.

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