Goodbye for Now, RedStaters

Today will be my last day writing for RedState. After nearly five years of covering the news, expressing my thoughts on American politics, and chopping it up with many of you in the comments section, it has come time for me to take my career in a different direction.

It was about this time in 2019 when Streiff reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in becoming a contributor. My answer was quick: Heck yes! Now, I will be embarking on a new adventure.

But I will not be going far; I will be transitioning, not to the opposite gender, but to a News Editor position at Townhall.com. I could not be more excited. But it is bittersweet as I will greatly miss being a part of this motley assortment of individuals who want the government to get off our lawns.

From the moment I was blessed with the honor of joining RedState, I knew I had found a platform where I could speak boldly and honestly without compromise. That’s exactly what I have done over these five short years.

None of this would have been possible without awesome folks like Jennifer Van Laar, Streiff, Kira Davis, and plenty of others who believed in me enough to give me a place on one of the most powerful platforms in conservative politics.

I am eternally grateful to each of these individuals for their mentorship, advice, and support. I am also grateful to you, dear readers, for reading and engaging with my work. You are the reason any of us can do what we love while pushing our country further toward liberty.

To put it simply, I would not be where I am without you, and I will never forget it.

Over the years, I have honed my craft while further evolving in my ideology. I went from mainly covering national issues and the culture war to also focusing on areas of government overreach at the local and state levels.

I recently covered the story of Jennifer Mayo, a Texas farmer who could be facing up to 20 years in prison simply for bringing chicken eggs from Vietnam into the United States. I have written about multiple instances of Georgia’s child protective services ripping children away from their parents under false allegations of abuse. I have also extensively covered the case of Dexter Taylor, a New York native who is currently serving a ten-year sentence for manufacturing his own firearms.

These stories, as well as many others, show just how important it is for Americans to focus on the stories of everyday folks who are railroaded by governments that are supposed to protect their rights, not violate them. What happened to President-elect Donald Trump happens every single day to regular people who typically do not have the resources necessary to fight back. This is why I believe it is so important to tell their stories.

RedState’s audience has been instrumental in helping me highlight these stories and even raise support for those who have been affected by government overreach and corruption. This community has helped to support this platform when it comes to meaningful and vital discussions about liberty and truth, which is why this is such a bittersweet moment for me.

However, I am still blessed to have contributed in small part to this powerhouse of a news site, and I am very much looking forward to what all of us in the Townhall family can accomplish together.

This community has been more than an audience; it has been a source of inspiration in my journey. As I transition to my new role at Townhall, I will carry with me the lessons, friendships, and memories created here at RedState, and I will miss you dearly. But I will still chime in from time to time when it is possible, so this won’t be the last you will hear from me.

My mission remains the same: To champion liberty, truth, and principled dialogue at a moment when all of these things are sorely needed in this great country of ours.

To my readers, thank you so much for challenging, encouraging, and reminding me why each of us does this work. I urge you to continue questioning narratives, remaining steadfast in your convictions, and advocating for liberty in your own communities.

The battle ahead of us will not be an easy one, even with the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. There are still forces that seek to move our nation further toward authoritarianism. Yet, I remain optimistic because there are still plenty among us who yearn for the manifestation of the promise of a freer society. I am honored to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you as we fight to preserve the principles upon which our nation was founded.

As the renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass said:  “The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous.”

Goodbye for now, RedStaters, and always remember: Stay free, stay principled, and most importantly, stay ungovernable.

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