Trust, Influence, and Impact in 2024

The Governance team examines issues and recommends solutions related to mistrust in elections; unfettered government growth; mismanagement of taxpayer funds; and power imbalances across our branches of government. In 2024, the team doubled down on building relationships with key audiences who understand “the why” behind RSI’s policy solutions and broader targeted outcomes.

One of the key questions the country faced ahead of November was: How should America run its elections? In exploring this issue, RSI stood by its vision of limited, effective government and engaged with policy experts and elected and appointed officials across the country and political spectrum who shared their thoughts and ideas.

For example, building off a successful partnership in 2023, RSI continued its relationship with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and hosted more than a dozen state-based convenings to discuss trust in elections. Expanding on 2023’s Conservative Principles for Building Trust in Elections, RSI and SNF Agora held closed-door gatherings with over 300 conservative leaders across the country to develop action plans to improve trust in elections in advance of the 2024 election. This partnership’s accomplishments included collective action by election officials, strategic media engagement targeting key audiences, and inspiring the development of a new 501(c)(3) in Arizona.

The Governance team also continued its work promoting efficient and effective reforms on Capitol Hill. From encouraging reductions in wasteful spending on unnecessary defense and agriculture programs to suggesting budgetary process reforms, the team focused on government efficiency—core to RSI’s mission of supporting limited, effective government. With long-term goals in mind, the team also evaluated the instability of Social Security and proposed a path forward grounded in strategies similar to those states have used to successfully shore up public pensions; this work was highlighted in The New York Times. Finally, amid a tumultuous Supreme Court term, RSI called on Congress to reassert itself as chief lawmaker in light of the Court’s repeal of the “Chevron doctrine”—a judicial outcome supported by RSI scholars.