Archive profile summary
Grassroots lobbying organization founded by Howard Phillips and organized around congressional-district activism, pressure campaigns and long-term local political participation.
Why this entry is in the archive
Shows the New Right’s emphasis on permanent local activist infrastructure and pressure on Congress.
Organizing model
The Conservative Caucus was built around local activists working in congressional districts rather than depending only on Washington organizations or presidential campaigns.
That model gave the New Right a standing mechanism for contacting lawmakers and mobilizing supporters around issues.
Why it matters
It demonstrates how local organizing networks can persist after a campaign ends and continue applying pressure to elected officials.
Evidence limits
Grassroots coordination around a policy campaign does not prove centralized control of local activists’ wider political views or activity.
Timeline
- New Right organizing infrastructure multiplies
Weyrich launches the Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress; Howard Phillips builds the Conservative Caucus; direct mail and local activist training become repeatable organizational tools.
Paul Weyrich · Free Congress / Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress · Howard Phillips · Richard Viguerie
Relationship records
Howard Phillips → The Conservative Caucus
Founder · 1970s
Evidence status: documented