Imagine this.
It’s Friday, November 11, at about 6 p.m. We’re just a few days past the hectic and consequential midterm elections and everyone is trying to make sense of what’s happened, why, and what comes next.
You could be doing this at home, with the help of the G-File that’s just been delivered to your inbox and the Dispatch Podcast published that morning. And that’d be great. But if you can swing it, you could be sitting on a beach in Naples, Florida, sipping a refreshing drink and talking to fellow Dispatch members, having just spent the day listening to some of the smartest people in the country talk about all of this and more at our What’s Next conference at the Ritz-Carlton.
On Thursday night, you will have joined us for our opening cocktail hour, where you’ll have a chance to ask Sarah Isgur directly about the election results or David French about his latest French Press or Jonah Goldberg about his very peculiar writing process. And then on Friday the program begins with former Rep. Trey Gowdy on “Power, Principles and Politics.” It continues with a thorough analysis of the election, with a panel including Sarah and Jonathan Martin, national political correspondent from the New York Times and co-author of the hugely influential book, This Will Not Pass. For lunch? A one-on-one conversation between David and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a leader who has bucked the trends toward performative politics and grievance by emphasizing policy innovation and a positive vision. The afternoon? Engaging and accessible policy-focused discussions led by Dispatch staffers.
Which brings us back to your cocktail on the beach. No program Friday night, just an opportunity to reflect on the discussions that day with fellow Dispatch members and to connect with our writers and editors and guests.
And Saturday? Among others, you’ll hear from Karl Rove on the politics of the midterms and the 2024 presidential race; AEI scholar and Dispatch contributor Danielle Pletka on threats facing the country; former Rep. Justin Amash in conversation with Jonah and Kevin Williamson on the state of the right in America; and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu in a lunchtime chat on limited government and the presidential primaries. Late Saturday afternoon, Haley Byrd and I will interview Sen. John Thune, who, as the second-ranking Republican in the upper chamber, is uniquely positioned to talk about the Republican Party and what to expect from Congress. And then on Saturday evening we’ll hand the mic to Jonah for his thoughts on, well, everything—a dangerous choice, it’s true, but one that’s sure to have us laughing over dinner.
Over the course of the weekend, we’ll hear from Dispatch staff and contributors, leading GOP and Democratic strategists, and additional elected officials, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.
We think we have a great conference planned and we’ll have some additional names to share with you in the coming days.
Steve
Additional details and registration can be found here: The Dispatch’s 2022 What’s Next Summit and if you have any questions, please email members@thedispatch.com.
For more information about sponsorships, please contact events@thedispatch.com
Please note that we at The Dispatch hold ourselves, our work, and our commenters to a higher standard than other places on the internet. We welcome comments that foster genuine debate or discussion—including comments critical of us or our work—but responses that include ad hominem attacks on fellow Dispatch members or are intended to stoke fear and anger may be moderated.