“Sell not…liberty to purchase power.”
Our Mission
Keep Our Republic is a non-partisan civic education organization dedicated to:
- Preserving a republic of laws
- Strengthening the checks & balances of our democratic operating system
- Raising awareness of emerging risks to the electoral process that is so vital to America’s liberty and prosperity
- Working at national and state levels to mitigate these risks by conducting research, publishing our ideas and promoting dialogue
- Coordinating closely with other civic groups to help promote trust in the strength of our republic and its institutions
Our Pledge
At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, Ben Franklin was asked by passersby about what kind of political system we would have and he reportedly replied: “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
We pledge to keep it.
Therefore, we rededicate ourselves to uphold the following basic principles, and we call on our fellow citizens to do the same:
Let every eligible voter vote.
Let every vote be counted.
Let the electoral count stand.
Respect the voice of the people in each state as expressed in the popular vote.
“Americans must do whatever we can to preserve American democracy. We both have been to Normandy. We visited the cemetery that honors young Americans who hit the beach knowing their chances of survival were slim. History is asking comparably little of us today to preserve freedom. Surely we will respond to the call.”
Dick Gephardt and Tom Ridge
“The freedom to vote is a foundation of our democracy. Preserving it depends on Americans being able to vote, knowing their vote will be counted and having confidence in the results. Free and fair elections are under attack by enemies both visible and invisible, and confronting them is necessary to avoid chaos.”
Dick Gephardt, Trevor Potter and Tim Wirth
“Democracy is fragile. Its integrity is under threat, and we must do everything in our power to protect it.”
Jonathan Winer
Former Deputy Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for International Law Enforcement
“The hijacking of our democratic processes by extremists also infringes the constitutional rights of the rest of us—no matter which side of the political aisle you’re on.”
Mary McCord
Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection
“The ‘Big Lie’ – the baseless claim that the 2020 presidential election outcome was the result of massive fraud and other electoral misconduct – began germinating long before many Americans even realized. It has now endured well beyond reason justifies or our democracy deserves.”
Former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart and Ari Mittleman
Read the Latest News & Commentary
Newsweek Opinion: The Worst Supreme Court Decision Is Yet to Come
Former Senator Tim Wirth and I wrote a column recently on how a Republican landslide in the House of Representatives…
Read More
The Jan. 6 Committee hearings that began last week will highlight the many ways in which Donald Trump’s presidency exposed the fragility of our democracy. Indeed, Congress has been considering major reform packages to shore up democracy’s guardrails by codifying restraints on executive power. The White House has applauded these efforts, but it’s time for President Biden to ramp up support. A rare…
Richard Gephardt, Gary Hart and Mark MedishJune 16, 2022
The states’ rights theory embraced by slaveholding states before the US Civil War and later used to defend racial segregation is again threatening civil rights and the underpinnings of the American state. The doctrine is part of a right-wing legal insurgency attacking everything from federal regulation to the electoral system. WASHINGTON, DC – The old…
Mark MedishMay 11, 2022
The very foundation of our democracy has been tested over the last two years. It has withstood the challenge so far, but the cracks are showing. A cornerstone that has helped our republic withstand the storm has been the local election officials from both parties who have been administering our elections faithfully and fairly under…
Mary McCord and Ari MittlemanMay 6, 2022
The January 6 House Select Committee is steadily peeling back the layers of deceit and deception practiced by those who planned or participated in the effort to overturn the 2020 US presidential election. During its investigation, the committee has discovered a draft of a presidential executive order directing former President Donald Trump's defense secretary to "seize, collect, retain and…
Gary Hart and William S. CohenMay 4, 2022
We wrote a column early in 2020 describing how Donald Trump would attempt to steal the election by using Congress to overturn the legitimate Electoral College results. Unfortunately, the piece ended up being incredibly prescient over time, as we learned more details over the last several months. A lot of media coverage in the last 18 months since the…
Tim Wirth and Tom RogersMay 2, 2022
The Unconventional Threat Podcast
Season 2 Episode 1
A Shadow Falls on Our Democracy
In the first episode of Season 2 of Unconventional Threat, hosts Jonathan Winer and Peter Eisner uncover efforts by extremists to gain control of our government through unconstitutional methods.
With a focus on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Winer and Eisner reveal the unethical tactics being used across the country by forces opposed to fair and impartial elections in order to execute their strategies of