Randall Murphree
AFA Journal editor
September 2013 – The eighth annual Values Voter Summit is shaping up to be a don’t-miss event for leaders and activists in the conservative political arena. Josh Duggar, executive director of FRCAction, told AFA Journal it is critical to maintain momentum in the movement, and that’s what the October 11-13 event will do.
“It is extra important to look at the landscape of the political scene,” Duggar said. “We have a president who has set out to undermine the principles we are fighting to protect. There are more attacks on faith, family and freedom than we’ve ever seen before.”
Duggar pointed out that while some may call it an “off year” politically, there’s really no such thing. There are mid-term congressional elections and primaries next year, and he views many of them as key races for the conservative community.
“They need to know we’re watching,” he said.
AFA president Tim Wildmon agreed with Duggar. “We can’t let the momentum slip,” he said. “If we are to see any return to a nation based on traditional morality, it is imperative that we stay vigilant.”
At age 25, Duggar is representative of a growing youthful conservative contingency. Other confirmed summit speakers in the same camp include Lila Rose, 24, president of Live Action. Rose is a repeat speaker at the annual event.
Veteran activists headline summit
Other confirmed speakers include veteran conservative figures Gary Bauer (president of American Values), Lt. Gen. William Boykin (U.S. Army-Ret.), Gov. Mike Huckabee, Tony Perkins (Family Research Council), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sandy Rios (Culture Campaign and American Family Radio) and Star Parker (president of CURE).
“I believe we have the best line-up of speakers we’ve ever had,” Duggar said. “And we’ll be debuting some new student events and a town hall meeting which will allow participants to interact with national officials.”
Despite his youth, Duggar is no stranger to the spotlight. As the eldest son of pro-family and political activist parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, he’s been in front of the cameras since the Discovery Channel aired the first Duggar family special 10 years ago, and regularly for the last 5 years in TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting series.
Still, it was an unexpected opportunity – and quite a personal leap of faith – that moved Duggar from his Fayetteville, Arkansas, home where he had established a business to the political hotspot of D.C. How did it happen?
“I attended the 2013 March for Life in January – my first time to attend – and I bumped into Tony Perkins,” Duggar said. When Perkins told him he had some openings at FRC, Duggar offered to try to help him find some candidates.
“What about you?” Perkins asked.
“No,” Duggar answered, “I’m comfortable running my business back home in Arkansas.”
“Well,” Perkins continued, “let’s just pray about it.”
A short time later, Duggar, his wife Anna and their two toddlers – Mackynzie Renee, 3, and Michael James, almost 2 – were packed and headed to Washington. Life has not slowed down for Mr. or Mrs. Duggar – Marcus Anthony, their third child, was born in June.
But Duggar is young, energetic and up for the tasks at hand. “It’s time to say enough is enough,” he said, “to share our thoughts and vision, to work together, to share information and materials, to provide resources for each other, from D.C. to our own hometowns.” That’s what he expects Values Voter Summit 2013 to do.
“I’m just invigorated by it all,” Duggar said. 
Values Voter Summit 2013 • October 11-13
$99 Single, $50 Student
Register at: www.valuesvotersummit.org
877-372-2808
Omni Shoreham Hotel Washington, DC
Reservations: www.OmniHotels.com
202-234-0700
