Leadership Institute Founder Morton Blackwell Makes His Pick for President

Morton Blackwell is considered by many to be one of the “founding fathers of modern conservatism.” His endorsement is one many Republicans covet, particularly when running for higher office.

Thursday night, he endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas):

“In the past several weeks, the presidential contest has clarified. I have decided to endorse Ted Cruz and to urge other serious conservatives to join me. He has consistently demonstrated his deep commitment to conservative principles.  He works hard for those principles.  He is very smart.  He’s a world-class speaker. He has shown that he can raise the large amounts of money necessary to win the nomination and the November election. Ted Cruz has famously organized what is probably the best national ground-game campaign.

“You and I can be confident that Ted Cruz will make superb judicial nominations. The Democrats will almost certainly nominate a badly flawed candidate who is dishonest and distrusted. Let’s take this opportunity to nominate and elect a Republican president who has the courage and skill to advance our conservative principles. Like me, you have probably sensed that support for Ted is growing rapidly across the country. I hope and now expect him to win the nomination.”

Blackwell founded the Leadership Institute, which has provided training in grass-roots organizing, campaigning, fundraising and communication to more than 171,000 conservative activists, in 1979. Through training workshops, it prepares conservatives for success in politics, media and government.

The Leadership Institute also has a national field-training program, organizes a network of 1,700 conservative campus groups and offers a job placement service for conservatives.

“In every department of my campaign, our team includes young conservatives trained at the Leadership Institute,” Cruz said. “Morton Blackwell often reminds conservatives that ‘you owe it to your philosophy to learn how to win.’ He has contributed to that victory by training two generations of conservatives in effective campaigning and leadership. Blackwell has spent decades equipping conservative thinkers with the practical strategies they need to be effective. I’m honored to have Morton’s wit and wisdom in support of this campaign.”

Blackwell is a member of the Virginia Republican State Central Committee and serves as Virginia’s Republican National Committeeman. He has served on the Executive Committee of the RNC. Blackwell was a delegate for both Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, and led a national youth effort for Ronald Reagan in 1980, later serving as a special assistant to President Reagan. He is an expert on Republican Party rules and serves currently on the RNC’s Standing Committee on Rules.

He is also known for authoring The Laws of the Public Policy Process, a series of maxims intended to help conservatives succeed at campaigning and governance.