Rick Wilson

Rick Wilson is masterful at marshalling the full force of the English language behind a cause and sending it into political battle. His sharp, sardonic style and gift for vivid metaphor have left a lasting imprint on modern political messaging. He understands a core truth: elections are not won based on dense policy treatises, but rather on emotional connection.

​

A top-tier Republican strategist for more than three decades, Wilson began his career on George H. W. Bush’s 1988 presidential campaign. He went on to advise candidates, Super PACs, corporations, and political organizations nationwide. That career effectively ended in 2015, when he emerged early as a prominent Republican critic to warn his party - and the country - about what he saw as the dangers of a Trump presidency.  

​

In 2019, Wilson co-founded the Lincoln Project, a rare force in American politics – a group of seasoned insiders breaking with their own party because of its authoritarian tilt and abandonment of traditional conservative values.  They took the playbook of the far right and used it against the far right. The Project’s message focuses on threats to democracy, the rule of law, and authoritarianism.  Known for rapid response, it often produces ads within hours of a news event. The Project consistently punches above its weight.

​

Wilson’s critique of the Republican Party triggered a dramatic turn in Wilson’s life and his economic security.  By 2016 he had lost his entire client base, as corporations, in particular, feared retaliation from Trump.  Though Wilson has regained a good measure of his former income and rebuilt his platform, he has faced threats and personal risk for speaking out. Like many who have taken similar stands, Wilson now lives with heightened security.  

​

A New York Times bestselling author, he is best known for the book Everything Trump Touches Dies and Running Against the Devil.  His essays have appeared in major outlets, including The Washington Post, Politico, and Rolling Stone. He is also a frequent television commentator on CNN and MS NOW and hosts Lincoln Project podcast.

​

“I’ve written about this before, but the sad truth is this: there are only a handful of Trump true believers in the Senate.  The rest are chugging a toxic slurry of cowardice, ambition, and opportunism that has led members of the upper house of a co-equal branch of government to relinquish their power and prerogatives.”

 

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – MARCH 3, 2026