Keep Our Republic is an advocacy organization founded in 2020 to conduct public outreach and attract media coverage to push back on arguments by then-President Donald Trump that the 2020 election was illegitimate. The organization was founded by Mark Medish, a former Clinton White House advisor, and Joel McCleary, a former Carter administration official. Both have consulted for many years on domestic and international homeland security issues.

The organization’s staff and advisory boards consist of former Democratic and Republican elected officials and the organization operates an advisory board for each of the key presidential election states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. The organization also operates an educational and research arm called the Keep Our Republic Charitable Fund. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Keep Our Republic was founded in 2020 to push back against arguments made by then-President Donald Trump concerning the legitimacy of the 2020 election results and accusations of voter fraud.  The organization is organized as a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization and broadcasts political ads, conducts polling, publishes research, and conducts grassroots advocacy. The organization also operates a 501(c)(3) educational arm called the Keep Our Republic Charitable Fund, which houses the organization’s educational and research activities. ^{4 5}

Positions

The goal of Keep Our Republic is to raise awareness concerning perceived potential abuses in the American electoral system, particularly in the Electoral College process in presidential elections. The “civic creed” of the organization is “Let all eligible voters vote. Let all votes be counted. Let the vote count stand.” ⁶

The organization also outlines specific concerns it has that it describes as potential loopholes to “overturn the people’s vote” such as the independent state legislature doctrine, the risk of a contested election in the House of Representatives under the 12th Amendment, misuse of a wide array of emergency powers held by the President and state governors or legislatures, and an alleged “rise of extremist groups threatening political violence and other unconventional threats to our democratic operating system.” The group’s website also states that “In view of the events of January 6, 2021, we must not allow a failure of imagination to leave us unprepared for this array of risks.” ⁷

Activity

In addition to political ads, polling, research, and grassroots lobbying, Keep Our Republic often calls on Congress to implement various changes to federal election law and Electoral College procedure. The organization has supported changes to the Electoral Count Act and supported tightening the emergency powers of the president. The group has also called for forming a “Citizens Firewall” to “protect against the abuse of Presidential and gubernatorial emergency powers and other risks to the electoral process.” ⁸ The organization focuses its programs on “several key electoral states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin where we conduct educational programs on risks to the orderly electoral process.” ⁹

People

Keep Our Republic was founded by Mark Medish, a former Clinton White House advisor on international affairs issues, and Joel McCleary, a former Carter administration official who has consulted for other presidents and prime ministers regarding defense and homeland security strategy and worked on studies regarding presidential emergency powers. ^{10 11}

Keep Our Republic has a national advisory board, as well as advisory boards for the key electoral states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Members of these boards include former Senator Tim Wirth (D-CO), former House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO), former Senator Gary Hart (D-CO), former Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), former Pennsylvania Governor and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge (R), former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R), former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), former Rep. David Trott (R-MI), former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson (R), and former Wisconsin State Senator Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa). ¹²

1. “Who We Are.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/who-we-are/
2. “Mark Medish.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-medish-a9332b56/
3. “Our Mission.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/our-mission/
4. “Home.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/
5. “Our Mission.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/our-mission/
6. “Our Mission.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/our-mission/
7. “Our Mission.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/our-mission/
8. “Our Mission.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/our-mission/
9. Medish, Mark. “The New Republic: Congress Needs to Rein in Presidential Emergency Powers Now.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/the-new-republic-congress-needs-to-rein-in-presidential-emergency-powers-now/
10. “Joel McCleary.” Just Security. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://www.justsecurity.org/author/mcclearyjoel/
11. “Mark Medish.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-medish-a9332b56/
12. “Who We Are.” Keep Our Republic. Accessed June 10, 2023. https://keepourrepublic.com/who-we-are/