Hayden Ludwig of Restoration News Media said on April 25 that conservatives should pursue what he calls Fusionism 3.0 by uniting the liberty-focused Old Right with the virtue-focused New Right as America approaches its 250th anniversary.
The discussion comes as the United States prepares to mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a milestone coordinated by the America250 Commission through national and local commemorations. The semiquincentennial is seen as an opportunity for reflection on founding principles and future direction, according to America250.
Ludwig outlined his vision for a renewed conservative coalition in a preview of the Winter 2026 inaugural edition of Independence Magazine. The article discusses historical examples of fusionism in American history, including the Founding era and the Reagan years, and highlights the need for unity on the Right to address contemporary challenges facing the nation, according to his article published on Restoration News.
"We'll achieve our vision of a reborn America by harmonizing the experience of the Old Right with the vigor of the New Right. The answer is to balance the two pillars of morality and freedom. They are not enemies, but highly compatible counterparts that must be wedded together instead of pitted against one another. Now, as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, we need a third fusion—one that restores freedom's moral foundation and revives the biblical virtue that makes true liberty possible," Ludwig said according to Restoration News.
"Fusionism" refers to a 20th-century conservative coalition pioneered by William F. Buckley Jr. and advanced by Ronald Reagan that brought together traditionalists, libertarians, and anti-communists. This synthesis helped conservatives win the Cold War and reshape American politics in the 1980s. With new ideological battles emerging after the collapse of the Soviet Union, some say an updated fusion is needed for current times, according to The Heritage Foundation.
Ludwig serves as founder and managing editor of Restoration News, launched in 2023. He also acts as Executive Director for Research at Restoration of America and has authored investigations into election integrity issues and dark money networks while contributing regularly to publications such as RealClearPolitics, American Greatness, and The American Conservative, according to Restoration News.
