DontGo

DontGo was an American free-market political activist nonprofit that emerged during the 2008 congressional debate over offshore oil drilling. Founded by conservative political strategist Patrick Ruffini and libertarian internet marketer Eric Odom, the organization used online communications, rapid-response content, and grassroots coordination to support expanded domestic energy production and broader free-market positions. The group began as a response to the August 2008 debate in the U.S. House of Representatives over offshore drilling. Its organizers intended the website to serve as an information clearinghouse for Republicans and other supporters of increased drilling. Rather than operating as a conventional political party organization, DontGo presented itself as a movement-oriented platform for people who supported free markets, lower taxes, reduced regulation, and personal freedoms. Its operating model emphasized internet outreach, distributed activism, and coordination among local participants. DontGo became more prominent in 2009 as conservative and libertarian groups organized protests against the Obama administration's policies and the federal government's response to the financial crisis. Alongside FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity, it was identified by The Atlantic as one of the national conservative groups that helped lead or support the early Tea Party movement. The publication characterized DontGo as a technically sophisticated online rapid-response team, reflecting the organization's emphasis on digital mobilization rather than a large formal membership structure. The organization was instrumental in coordinating the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party, which developed into a significant part of the Tax Day Tea Party protests. DontGo said it had worked with approximately 700 separate demonstrations, although the available reference material does not independently establish the scope or methodology behind that figure. Its Chicago activity illustrated the group's role as a connective platform linking local demonstrations, national messaging, online activists, and sympathetic political organizations. DontGo's political identity was not simply an extension of the Republican Party. Odom, who supported libertarian-leaning presidential candidate Bob Barr, argued against excessive Republican control of the protests and emphasized opposition to incumbency and entrenched political power. He declined an invitation from Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele to speak at the group's Chicago protest. The episode underscored the tension between the organization's grassroots and anti-establishment positioning and attempts by established Republican institutions to align themselves with the emerging Tea Party movement. The group also faced criticism from opponents who alleged that it received financial support from oil companies because of its advocacy for expanded drilling. Odom denied the allegation and said he had not received the supposed contributions. The available material does not establish that oil-company funding occurred. No reliable current information is provided about DontGo's continuing operations, legal status, leadership, finances, or successor organization, so its present status is uncertain.

DontGo was established in the United States in 2008 by Patrick Ruffini and Eric Odom. Ruffini was a conservative political strategist who had previously created The Next Right blog, while Odom was a libertarian-leaning internet marketer based in Chicago. The organization took shape during the August 2008 U.S. House debate concerning offshore oil drilling. Its founders sought to create an online clearinghouse that could collect and distribute information for Republicans and other supporters of further domestic drilling. From its beginning, DontGo combined energy-policy advocacy with a broader free-market political message. Its mission was described in terms of support for free markets, lower taxes, limited regulation, and personal freedoms. The organization also expressed opposition to incumbency and long-term concentrations of political power. This combination gave it a position that overlapped with conservative politics while retaining a distinct libertarian and anti-establishment orientation. The group operated primarily through digital communications and grassroots coordination rather than through a conventional membership organization. Its online activity became particularly relevant in 2009, when a series of conservative and libertarian protests developed into what became known as the Tea Party movement. DontGo was involved in coordinating the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party, which helped lead into the Tax Day Tea Party protests. The organization claimed to have worked with about 700 separate demonstrations, presenting itself as a national connector for local organizers. Contemporary reporting placed DontGo alongside FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity among the national organizations helping to shape the early Tea Party movement. The Atlantic described DontGo as a technology-savvy online rapid-response team, highlighting its role in producing and circulating messages quickly across decentralized activist networks. This role distinguished the organization from traditional campaign committees and established conservative institutions. Although DontGo worked in a political environment dominated by Republican officials and conservative groups, its leaders resisted treating the protests as a simple Republican Party project. Eric Odom supported Bob Barr and expressed concern that Republicans could take excessive control of the demonstrations. When Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele asked to speak at the group's Chicago protest, Odom declined. The Republican National Committee responded publicly that the organizers were simply having fun, an exchange that illustrated the uneasy relationship between party officials and the movement's independent activists. DontGo's support for expanded oil drilling also generated criticism. Opponents accused the group of receiving money from oil companies, an allegation that would have raised questions about the independence of its advocacy. Odom disputed the claim, stating that he was still waiting for the alleged checks. The available reference material does not document oil-company contributions, and the allegation should therefore be treated as an unresolved criticism rather than an established fact. The available historical record is concentrated in 2008 and 2009. It does not provide dependable information about later campaigns, formal dissolution, current officers, finances, or whether the website continued operating after the period in which the group was active in the early Tea Party movement. DontGo's present organizational status is consequently recorded as unknown.

• 2009

  Chicago Tea Party coordination

  [1]DontGoen.wikipedia.org

  DontGo helps coordinate the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party, linked to the broader Tax Day Tea Party protests.

• 2009

  Association with the national Tea Party movement

  [1]DontGoen.wikipedia.org

  Contemporary coverage identifies DontGo as one of the national conservative and libertarian groups supporting the early Tea Party movement.

• 2008

  Organization founded

  [1]DontGoen.wikipedia.org

  Patrick Ruffini and Eric Odom establish DontGo as a free-market political activist organization.

• 2008

  Offshore-drilling advocacy begins

  [1]DontGoen.wikipedia.org

  The group emerges during the U.S. House debate over offshore oil drilling and develops an online information role for supporters of further drilling.

A technology-oriented, anti-incumbent free-market and libertarian-conservative activist platform focused on online mobilization, lower taxes, limited regulation, expanded energy production, and personal freedoms.

• Online political platform · 2008

  DontGo website

  The organization's principal public-facing platform was an online information clearinghouse and activist communications site. It was intended to distribute material about free-market policy, offshore drilling, taxes, regulation, and personal freedoms, while helping connect national messaging with local organizers. The available sources do not establish the site's complete technical features or whether it remains operational.

• Political organizing service · 2009

  Grassroots protest coordination

  DontGo provided coordination and communications support for local demonstrations, most notably the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party and related Tax Day Tea Party activity. Its model emphasized distributed organizing and rapid online response rather than a conventional commercial product. The organization claimed involvement with approximately 700 demonstrations, although the available material does not independently verify that number.

• 2009

  Allegations of oil-company contributions

  Critics alleged that DontGo accepted financial contributions from oil companies because of its support for expanded drilling. Eric Odom denied the accusation, and the available material does not substantiate that the contributions occurred.

  Source

Read more

• 2009Nationwide Chicago Tea Party

  United States

  DontGo helped coordinate a Chicago-centered national protest effort that became part of the Tax Day Tea Party movement.

  Outcome. The effort contributed to the visibility and coordination of the early Tea Party demonstrations.

  Source
• 2008Offshore drilling advocacy

  United States

  DontGo formed during the congressional debate over offshore oil drilling and advocated further drilling through online information and political organizing.

  Outcome. The campaign established DontGo's early identity as a free-market and energy-policy advocacy group.

  Source

• 2009

  Maintain distance from Republican Party controlStrategy

  Background

  As Republican institutions sought connections with the emerging Tea Party demonstrations, DontGo's leadership emphasized the protests' grassroots and anti-incumbent character.

  Action taken

  Eric Odom declined a request from Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele to speak at the group's Chicago protest.

  Aftermath

  The decision highlighted the organization's independent, libertarian-leaning posture and the broader tension between party officials and Tea Party activists.

  Source

1. 1DontGoen.wikipedia.org
2. 2DontGo official websitedontgomovement.com