A Republican political strategist is launching a new effort to reshape primary elections by boosting grassroots candidates who oppose immigration expansion policies backed by members of their own party.
Ryan Girdusky, the founder of Homeland PAC, says his goal is to help lesser-known candidates overcome a common funding obstacles. By coordinating small-dollar donations, the PAC hopes to give insurgent candidates the resources needed to compete with better-funded incumbents in Republican primaries.
Girdusky argues that many challengers struggle not because of weak messaging, but because they lack the financial backing to reach voters. He pointed to past upsets, including Dave Brat’s 2014 primary victory in Virginia, as evidence that candidates can succeed when their message has visibility.
The effort is focused heavily on immigration policy, particularly opposition to legislation like the “Dignidad” bill introduced by Maria Salazar. The proposal has drawn support from multiple Republican lawmakers and includes legal status pathways for illegal immigrants. Girdusky and allied activists argue that such measures are out of step with much of the Republican voter base.
He acknowledges there is a disconnect between party leadership and grassroots voters, citing polling data that shows limited support among Republican voters for increasing immigration levels. According to his argument, this gap creates an opportunity for challengers to run campaigns on stricter immigration policies and broader economic concerns.
Girdusky also brings experience from prior political organizing efforts. He previously founded the 1776 Project PAC, which focused on school board races and supported candidates in local elections across the country. He says that model—targeting overlooked races with motivated grassroots support—can be replicated in congressional primaries.
Beyond immigration, Girdusky is encouraging candidates to connect the issue to other economic anxieties, including the impact of automation and artificial intelligence on the workforce. He argues that concerns about job security, wages, and housing affordability can be tied into a broader campaign message for working- and middle-class voters.
The strategy includes identifying incumbents who support the Salazar bill and backing primary challengers against them. Among those he has criticized are several Republican lawmakers he believes are aligned with business interests seeking expanded labor pools.
At the same time, Girdusky emphasized that successful challengers will need to strike a careful tone—articulating concerns about immigration policy without resorting to rhetoric that alienates voters. He described the ideal candidate as someone locally rooted, capable of clearly explaining policy impacts, and focused on economic arguments rather than personal attacks.
The launch of Homeland PAC comes amid broader debates within the Republican Party over immigration, labor markets, and the party’s long-term direction. As the 2026 election cycle unfolds, primary contests could become a key battleground for competing visions within the GOP, particularly on issues where grassroots voters and party leadership appear divided.
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