What Phyllis Schlafly Wrought

She believed in Trump, in America and in Me ....

Phyllis Schlafly believed in Donald J. Trump in 2015. She was an early back, one of the earliest to see that he was a real leader.

On one level, Phyllis believed first and foremost that he could win the election - he was a fighter and he took on the media. He was made for this moment in American life.

But on another level, Phyllis believed that Trump was good for America. Really good. Great. She believed that he loved America and that he wanted to make it great again. She thought he saw possibilities in every American and distrusted the people wanting a world order. She believed American needed Trump.

Phyllis was right about Trump.

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Phyllis also believed in me.

I first met Phyllis in the 1990s at various church and conservative events in Missouri. She backed me when I ran for Congress in 2010 when most did not (at least initially) … In 2013, I became Chairman of the Missouri GOP and therefore a member of the RNC. Phyllis called me up and she took me under her wing. She taught me, corrected me, edited me, showed me how things really worked. Day after day, I saw her wisdom and her goodness.

She inspired me. We backed Trump together and fought for the 2016 Platform in Cleveland. When she died in September 2016, I felt a loss like nothing I have ever felt for someone not in my family. I miss her still today.

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Last week, the board of Phyllis’ organization met in St. Louis. Our Chair, Marylin Shannon, led us … her ties to Phyllis are decades deep and she is a true American great. Even though it’s always a little strange to meet without Phyllis - it’s her place, her vision, her Eagles - we keep moving ahead.

We talked about what might happen if President Trump asked me to work with him in the White House. We planned a little bit. We will have lots to say in the future. I plan to play a role as a volunteer and as an Eagle.

So, the opportunity with President Trump happened:

I am honored to serve President Trump. I received this opportunity due to a lot of hard work but mostly due to Phyllis. And I will bring every thing Phyllis gave me to this job.

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One more observation. This one about John Schlafly with whom I have worked for over a decade now.

He’s one of the smartest guys I know. He knows history, policy and current affairs cold. AND he knows politics. He is great to work with and he even makes me laugh.

John embodies what was the secret sauce of Phyllis: smart on the issues, conservative in outlook, and savvy on politics. This blend makes all the difference. Being sincere and losing is not conservative - it’s selfish.

Finally, one great gift of my life was to see Phyllis and her son John during the final years of her life. John was as devoted a son as I have ever seen. While he spent the last 25 years of her life as Phyllis’ greatest ally - friend, son, and amanuensis - in those last two or three years, John gave Phyllis the chance to see Trump and to back him. John’s love for his mother and how he helped her are models for me: of holiness and a son’s love.

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God blessed me with my family growing up and with an amazing wife and our children. I have more than I deserve - that’s for sure. And I thank God for them and for all His blessings - and for Phyllis.