Right-Wing Stars Target Texas Teens
By Jacob Gries, September 15, 2022
Christian Collins got his start in politics by working for Ted Cruz and Kevin Brady, the recently retired congressman from Texas’s 8th congressional district, for whom he served as campaign manager. Collins, a self-described political activist, speaker, and public relations and communication consultant, has, for at least the last two years, hosted the Texas Youth Summit, an event that seems to be devoted to finding the future Brady’s and Cruz’s of the world.
The event, which targets teenagers and young adults, takes place September 16 and 17 at the Grace Woodlands Church in The Woodlands, Texas. Topics to be discussed include fiscal responsibility, the free market, good old fashioned American exceptionalism, and, crucially, “the Judeo-Christian principles this country was founded upon.”
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In the last two years, the youth summit has gained relevance in Republican and right-wing circles. In 2020, Collins assembled a somewhat uninspiring group of speakers, headlined by Dan Crenshaw, Candace Owens, and Charlie Kirk. Further down the totem pole were Morgan Zegers, a small-time podcast host, Chad Prather, a conservative comedian, and Deplorable Choir, a three-woman musical group.
This year’s event, however, is significantly souped-up. Gone are Zegers, Prather, and Deplorable Choir, and in their place are Cruz himself, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, Kayleigh McEnany, and, as of a few days ago, a virtual Donald Trump Jr. Collins, of course, will still be there, as will Owens, who’s going to be kicking off the weekend on Friday with an event centered on her book, Blackout: How Black America Can Make Its Second Escape from the Democrat Planation.
Clearly, this two-day Republican extravaganza has become infinitely more star-studded in the two years since Donald Trump left office. That seems less a matter of happenstance and more a highly targeted, carefully manicured strategy to capture the hearts and minds of those who will decide who wins the midterms this fall and, two years from now, the presidency.
Jacob Gries is a writer living in Manhattan who’s written pieces on sports, politics, technology, art, and other things in between. Find him on Twitter at @imjacobgries .
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Top GOP stars of the far right will be at the Texas Youth Summit including Ted Cruz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kayleigh McEnany.
