You can watch the entire segment here:

The debate portion with Ameshia Cross begins at the 11:48 mark:

COVID-19 didn’t kill Americans’ trust in public institutions. It exposed and accelerated a decline playing out in polling for years.

Trust in the federal government, the media, and other institutions had already been eroding prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic arrived and Americans watched elected officials and self-descibed “experts” repeatedly change their guidance while insisting everyone “follow the science.”

Recommendations about social distancing, masks, business hours, and vaccines shifted on an almost daily basis. Some of those changes may have been unavoidable as officials learned more about the virus, but the mixed messages left many Americans frustrated and skeptical.

That skepticism was compounded by the sense that people were not being given enough information to make decisions for themselves or their families.

Americans were instructed — and, in some circumstances, required — to receive a newly developed vaccine while reasonable questions about its risks were dismissed rather than answered. Parents were especially concerned about what they were being asked to put into their children’s bodies.

The blame for this distrust cannot be assigned exclusively to one person or one political party. President Donald Trump launched Operation Warp Speed, promoted the vaccines, and received one himself.

Before the 2020 election, however, Democratic candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris publicly raised questions about whether a vaccine developed under the Trump administration could be trusted.

Both parties politicized the issue. Both parties contributed to the confusion. And Americans noticed.

The controversy surrounding COVID vaccines is also part of a broader conversation about vaccination schedules. The number of vaccines recommended for children has increased considerably since I was growing up in the 1980s.

I have a 12-year-old niece and a three-year-old nephew, and I understand why parents want clear information about what their children are receiving, why they need it, and what risks may accompany it. Public-health officials will not rebuild trust by treating those questions as illegitimate.

I have always believed a healthy skepticism of government — at every level — is a good thing.

Citizens should question public officials and hold them accountable. The challenge is determining which information is accurate in a media environment transformed by podcasts, social platforms, independent creators, and now artificial intelligence.

Social media algorithms tend to funnel people toward information that reinforces what they already believe. Someone who engages with one political theory will receive more material supporting that theory, while contradictory information gradually disappears from view. Opinion becomes indistinguishable from fact, and Americans end up inhabiting entirely different realities.

My own social-media feed is a wild mix of professional and political content from across the ideological spectrum.

But many Americans are pushed almost exclusively in one direction. That makes it easier to caricature — and eventually hate — people with whom they disagree.

The answer is not to surrender more control to politicians or unaccountable bureaucrats.

Weaponizing the federal government against political opponents did not begin with the current administration. We saw the Internal Revenue Service target conservative and Tea Party organizations during the Obama administration, and the practice has continued to escalate. It is dangerous when Democrats do it, and it is dangerous when Republicans do it.

The more reasonable answer begins closer to home.

Americans should step away from their screens and become involved in their communities. Citizenship requires us to pay attention not only to what is happening at the White House or the Capitol, but also to what is happening on our own streets.

It becomes much harder to despise someone on the internet once you know that person as a neighbor.

Alexis de Tocqueville observed this quality in Democracy in America: Americans formed voluntary associations, participated in churches and civic institutions, and worked together to solve local problems. He believed these institutions taught the habits of self-government and helped sustain American democracy. Today, they also provide a foundation from which Americans can begin rebuilding trust.

Our crisis of trust is reversible, and I remain eternally optimistic about America’s ability to overcome it. That optimism is why I participate in conversations with people who disagree with me and why, as a local political leader, I remain committed to meeting people throughout my community.

If the next national crisis involves public health or vaccinations, our badly damaged institutional credibility will present a serious problem. Americans may not know which officials to trust or which conflicting instructions to follow.

But when disaster strikes, we also see neighbors, churches, civic organizations, and affected communities produce solutions every day. Washington may struggle to restore the trust it has squandered, but the American people still possess the ability to rebuild it from the neighborhood up.

And that gives me hope.

I pulled five clips from Friday night’s show, including my observations on U.K. Labour government’s plan to force tech firms such as Google, Facebook and X to prominently display news from public-service broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

President Biden’s Department of Homeland Security launched the ‘Disinformation Governance Board’ in 2022 and was roundly criticized for its effort, which was later scrapped.

Should government decide which outlets report “truth” in an era where facts change, stories change, and our understanding changes? No.

I also likened Reform UK Nigel Farage and French National Rally Jordan Bardella’s “entente cordiale” (to ‘stop the boats’), announced at Reform UK’s party conference this weekend, to Newt Gingrich’s 1994 “Contract with America,” which visualized specific policies in a publicly announced document.

I also suggested “there are no solutions, only trade-offs” in the debate over whether or not the U.K. government should immediately deport foreign-born criminals once they’re convicted of a crime.

I found agreement with former Labour Party Member of Parliament Stephen Pound on the issue of Scots (particularly, the Scottish National Party) being socialists who expect England to pay for their largesse (this time, the SNP is complaining about University tuition).

Ending the show on a lighter note, here’s a clip of host Ben Leo reading an email from a fan and me sharing weekend plans with viewers — noting the unusually frequent number of times I agreed with former Labour MP Stephen Pound.

These appearances allow me to share insight into issues playing out in both Great Britain and the United States.

You can watch the entire episode here.

I pulled five clips from Tuesday night’s show, including observations on a recent poll showing the U.K. Conservative Party’s recent increase in support over the Reform Party’s polling numbers — the first poll showing the Tories up over Reform in 500 days:

I also injected a little cynicism into the discussion when host Bev Turner asked about Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation from the House of Commons:

Days before the judge announced a mistrial in the case involving Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy strangling her four children, I spoke about the cultural implications of women taking to social media to post videos of them harming or mimicking harming their own children:

I also made a strong defense of civil liberties in the wake of a bereaved father’s support for “stop and search” (or “stop and frisk” in the U.S.) to reduce knife crime in Great Britain:

And finally, Bev asked about my recent trip to London, and I shared a few stories about meeting fellow GB News contributors and staff — with a special shoutout to Clare Muldoon, Paul Cox, and Cristo Foufas:

These appearances allow me to share insight into issues playing out in both Great Britain and the United States.

You can watch the entire episode here.

I plan to share clips of these appearances more frequently here on Substack.

One such conversation explored a program U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham supports to provide a Universal Credit to families to push young Brits into the skilled trades.

My contribution to the conversation explored Mike Rowe’s effort to build up the skilled trades in the U.S., a departure from the government money Prime Minister Burnham seeks to hand out.

My contribution clipped here into two videos:

You can watch the entire episode here.

Please disregard the brief YouTube ad interruption near the end of the conversation.

Part One:

Part Two:

Host Beverly Turner interviews Mom’s for Liberty’s Alexandra Bougher about her efforts in New Jersey. Given my professional experience with Moms for Liberty, I was able to provide some additional insight.

I appeared on two separate occasions over the Independence Day weekend.

The first was a “remote” interview from the Spirit of Washington dinner cruise on the evening of Independence Day, where I was joined by several hundred supporters, staff, and friends of Leadership Institute for an annual celebration and to watch the fireworks display.

The conversation centered around Leadership Institute, what celebrating America’s independence means, and how Britain can embrace its own history and patriotism:

The second conversation (from Sunday night’s episode) centered around the possibility of a wealth tax in Great Britain:

I appreciate the increasing number of opportunities to share my thoughts about current events, and I appreciate you for tuning in when those opportunities arise.

It was a pleasure to join Dan Mandis on SuperTalk 99.7 WWTN this morning to talk about ’s campaign for L.A. Mayor and the race between Thomas Massie and Ed Gallrein — primary today!

Listen to the full conversation here.

Since then, Roanoke College released a poll showing a majority of Virginians support the current nonpartisan redistricting commission and oppose the far-left’s effort to re-draw congressional district lines via a Constitutional referendum this year.

This is GREAT news for bipartisan efforts to mobilize Virginians to VOTE NO on the Constitutional referendum by April 21st.

Arlington Republicans’ “VOTE NO!” campaign — led by Richard Samp and Eric Turner — is working closely with the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) to identify and mobilize voters ahead of the referendum on April 21st.

With that in mind, here are the TWO easiest ways you can help DEFEAT the far-left’s Constitutional referendum to radically gerrymander Virginia’s Congressional districts:

1. Become a member of the Arlington GOP, and;

2. Use the resources provided to engage your friends, family, and neighbors.

Allow me to explain...

Become a Member of the Arlington GOP

Arlington Republicans will “re-constitute” our Committee next month — on Monday, March 23rd — for a period of two years. The process ahead of this gathering is the easiest way to become a dues-paying member over the next two years (the 2026 to 2028 Committee cycle).

Becoming a full or affiliate member practically ensures you get more involved in our efforts. Dues-paying Arlington Republicans show up to more events, volunteer when asked, and take on additional leadership responsibilities.

I cannot express how truly grateful I am for everything you do to advance our Republican principles and support our Republican candidates in Arlington and across Northern Virginia.

Even more importantly at this critical moment, becoming a dues-paying member of the Arlington GOP ensures this Committee has the resources to get out the vote in opposition to the far-left’s power-hungry effort to gerrymander Virginia on Tuesday, April 21st.

While you can read more information about the re-constitution and membership process below, you can become a dues-paying member of the Arlington GOP by completing the Membership Declaration here and by paying dues here.

I just paid my dues and contributed a little extra to help fight back against the far-left, and I encourage you to do the same.

Use Grassroots Tools to Stop the Gerrymander

Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) leadership met last night to outline the stakes in this campaign and provide grassroots tools YOU can use to STOP the Gerrymander on April 21st.

RPV launched its STOP GERRYMANDERING website with information and tools you can use to engage friends, family, and voters from now until April 21st. I encourage you to read over the information RPV has provided and jump in when and where you can, including:

1. Knocking doors

2. Making phone calls

3. Texting friends and neighbors

4. Writing a Letter to the Editor

5. Posting on social media

Click the “Sign Up to Fight Back” option on the Stop Gerrymandering website to obtain resources and support directly from RPV.

Additionally, the Arlington GOP has launched a STOP GERRYMANDERING Committee, led by former Arlington Electoral Board Member Richard Samp and data guru Eric Turner, to help drive an Arlington-specific message to voters.

Richard and Eric are leading Arlington GOP’s efforts on the ground in our community, and I am incredibly grateful to them for stepping into these important roles.

The Republican Party of Virginia is investing heavily in grassroots efforts. Newly-elected RPV Chairman Jeff Ryer jumped headfirst into this campaign, and I am confident RPV is doing everything it can with the resources it has to mobilize opposition to the far-left’s gerrymandering campaign.

There are also two “VOTE NO!”-aligned campaigns outside of RPV’s official efforts:

✅ Virginians for Fair Maps
✅ No Gerrymandering Virginia

I encourage you to jump in where you can to mobilize voters to “VOTE NO!” by April 21st.

Here are the details about how to vote in the upcoming Gerrymandering referendum in Arlington.

Host Ben Leo tossed the conversation back and forth between Connor, me, and a few other guests on a range of topics, including the public spat between Elon Musk and RyanAir CEO Michael O’Leary, continued unrest in Iran, President Trump’s saber rattling over Greenland, and the growing “soccer mom” protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

I now appear regularly on GB News as a contributor, discussing current events and issues important to both Brits and Americans.

It’s a great privilege to share commentary from this side of the pond on GB News, an increasingly popular right-of-center news and commentary station.

Be on the lookout for many other appearances in the coming months.

You can view the entire conversation here.

My father David Lewis Hurtt passed peacefully in his sleep the morning after Christmas Day. He was 75 and suffered from COPD, a number of heart issues, and decades of physical toll from blue collar work.

You can read his obituary here.

This happened about a week ago, and the gravity is still setting in for our family.

While I moved to Arlington, Virginia, from my childhood home in 2009 to pursue a career in public policy, my sister Nikki stayed behind to raise a family and help take care of our father during his retirement years.

Our mother Terrie Hurtt passed away just before my birthday in 2022 after years of chronic health issues, and my paternal grandmother passed away in September 2024 at the age of 96.

More on that below…

What I want to share with you first is what my father meant — and still means — to me.

My dad was a hardworking, blue collar, dedicated family man. And I will carry that impression with me for my entire life.

While my dad was around a lot when me and my sister were growing up, he spent long hours as an employee at an electrical utility in our hometown. I think back to all the times he said he was working overtime, and it was a lot.

And I have realized over the years (and now, especially looking at the remaining balance on the mortgage on our childhood home) that our dad worked himself to the bone to take care of our family.

Witnessing his rapid physical decline over the last couple years, I can confidently say he cut short his time here on earth while my sister and I were in school, working countless hours of overtime at a job that took a significant physical toll on his body.

He did that for me and my sister and our mom — to try and ensure we wouldn’t have much to worry about when he died. And that fact weighs heavily on me as I write this to you.

Watching my dad’s decline was heartbreaking. Over Thanksgiving 2025 when Hospice moved a bed into my childhood home, I was astonished at how little he was physically capable of doing.

My paternal grandmother (pictured above with my dad and me on her 96th birthday), who spent the last 6 months of her life under the care of my father and sister at the age of 96, was in a similar physical condition. And she was 20 years older than my father.

At 38, it makes me think of my own physical capabilities and mortality.

But I keep coming back to this point: He did that for me, my sister, and my mother.

My dad sacrificed so much to provide for his family. As I begin to fully comprehend what that meant for the last few years of his life, I am at a loss for words to describe the level of gratitude I have for him.

He didn’t just try to be a good father for me and my sister. For most of our adolescence, my sister and I had friends who lived across the street from us who were pretty close in age to us.

The older sister and younger brother duo were like our siblings, and that fact struck me reading the older sister’s Facebook post about the passing of my father:

Our next door neighbor has grown into a wonderful, God-fearing wife and mother. But she faced serious childhood trauma during the era of our across-the-street friendship.

As she came to terms with her trauma, she sought out a safe father-figure. And my dad was there for her… because he was a kind and decent man who just wanted to be a good dad.

My dad wasn’t perfect. I think he held on to the resentment of losing his own father in the Korean War — a father he never got to know. My paternal grandmother never re-married after her husband was killed in Korea, and that had an immeasurable impact on my dad’s worldview.

But it also forged an inseparable bond between mother and son — one that my sister saw in action every day of our lives until our grandmother’s death in 2024.

My father’s dedication to his mother left a deep impression on us.

Over the last few years, I have been tasked with handling the “administrative” responsibilities of the passing of my mother and paternal grandmother. As processes, those were fairly easy.

Nothing could have prepared me to take on the additional responsibilities of closing out my father’s estate and also assuming a caretaker role for my sister.

That brings me to the second part of this post.

My sister Nikki shouldered the burden of the day-to-day care of our father for the last few years of his life, foregoing full-time employment to take care of him while raising a family of her own.

Our dad’s combined retirement and other benefits allowed her to stay home, a luxury few blue collar families have in the final years of their breadwinners.

With my dad’s sudden passing, those retirement benefits have ended and my sister and I are dealing with end-of-life expenses, as well as the ongoing expenses of running a household previously covered by our dad’s income.

With a toddler-aged child at home and few daycare options available, my sister now has to transition back into the workforce while continuing to pay the daily expenses previously covered by our dad’s retirement.

On the day of our father’s passing, I launched a GiveSendGo campaign to help cover some of these expenses.

My sister’s comparative advantage through all of this has been her unending dedication to the daily care of our father — something I couldn’t do from 660 miles away.

I will be forever grateful for the sacrifices she made to take care of our father during the last few years of his life — providing him the dignity of his final years at home with his daughter and grandchildren.

The above photo is of our dad holding my nephew, Ivar, which has striking similarities to the below photo of my dad holding my sister.

But I have discovered (or at least channeled) a skill I do have to help over the last week.

At the time of publishing of this post, the GiveSendGo campaign I launched a week ago has raised $5,961 of the $10,000 goal I established, most of which has come from friends and allies in my personal and political networks.

Many of you who have contributed never met my father and don’t personally know my sister. But some of the messages speak to the heart of what my dad means to me.

Here’s one:

The above text message was particularly touching to me because I have heard comments like this for the last week — that the way my dad raised me turned me into the man I am today. And his memory will live on in these little reminders for the rest of my life.

While my sister was able to provide around-the-clock care for our dad, I have worked to ensure she and her family are able to stay in our childhood home and help cover the ongoing expenses as she begins to transition back to full-time work.

The second part of this post ends with an ask of you: If something in this post or my father’s obituary speaks to you, please consider supporting my sister as we cover the ongoing expenses of our childhood home, so that she may continue to have a place to raise her family as she re-enters the workforce.

You can contribute to the GiveSendGo campaign here.

Thank you for taking a few minutes of your time to read my thoughts about my dad in the wake of his passing. May his memory live on in the little things my sister and I do every day.

I love you, Pops.

You can listen to the conversation here.

The letter:

What does this mean for Virginia Republicans? In the near-term, RPV Vice Chair Kristi Way will serve as acting Chairman until the SCC can select a new Chairman.

As with any party process, it is important to know the rules.

Article III, Section B of the Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Virginia (Party Plan) reads:

The State Chairman shall be elected by the Quadrennial State Convention for a term of four (4) years or until his successor is elected.

In the event of a vacancy, like a resignation before the end of the Chairman’s term, Article III, Section C of the Party Plan reads:

A vacancy in the office of State Chairman shall be filled by the State Central Committee until the next regular State Convention, which shall then elect a State Chairman to fill the remaining unexpired portion of the term of the vacating State Chairman.

While the SCC will meet at this weekend’s RPV Advance — an annual gathering of Virginia Republicans — there will be no official action taken to replace outgoing Chairman Mark Peake.

No “official” action, that is, because Chairman Peake’s resignation won’t happen until after the RPV Advance.

That doesn’t mean the unofficial jockeying won’t begin at this weekend’s Advance — or hasn’t begun already.

No, I’m not running for RPV Chairman.

Under the Party Plan, the “interim” Chairman serves until the next Quadrennial Convention, which won’t take place until 2028.

And the next SCC meeting — when the RPV’s governing body can select an “interim” Chairman — isn’t currently scheduled until April 2026, which means current Vice Chair Kristi Way will likely serve as Chairman for several months.

As you may (or may not) know, State Senator Mark Peake was selected by the SCC earlier this year to serve out the unexpired term of former RPV Chairman Rich Anderson, who resigned the post to serve as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force.

The role of State Party Chairman is a thankless — and unpaid — job. It’s incredibly time-consuming, and it takes a lot of work to do it right. It also takes the ability to navigate intra-party factions and sometimes difficult personalities.

A good RPV Chairman really can’t do it part-time, which means an ideal Chairman is independently wealthy and able to dedicate at least 40 hours a week to managing and growing the Party.

In my view, there are currently no qualified Republicans who have waded into the RPV drama who possess the skills of a qualified RPV Chairman.

Be on the lookout for an update from the RPV Advance this weekend…

Matthew Hurtt is the Chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee, the RPV-constituted Unit Committee for Arlington County, Virginia. As Chairman, his governing philosophy is “the more people involved and engaged in productive activity, the better.”

From navigating local party minutiae to real-time updates from the campaign trail, my goal is to give you a first-hand account of the political landscape as I see it.

This post seeks to answer two questions:

1. Who am I?

2. Why am I qualified to tell you how to get involved in Republican politics?

Let’s tackle the first question…

I started my political journey as an outsider — running for local office at the age of 19, getting kicked out of College Republicans for organizing opposition to a student activity fee increase, and angering the local GOP by trying to “shake up” the status quo as a Ron Paul-supporting, small-L libertarian.

After college, I moved to Arlington, Virginia, where I got involved in the local Young Republican chapter and — to a limited extent — the Arlington County Republican Committee, where “establishment” types were skeptical of my libertarian leanings.

In 2012 — still an outsider — I helped orchestrate a “takeover” of the Arlington Falls Church Young Republicans by the Ron Paul-wing of the GOP.

Navigating party process, I was selected to serve as an At-Large Delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, where I worked behind the scenes to support party rules that allowed “grassroots” power to flow “from the bottom-up,” rather than the top-down.

I saw first-hand how well-organized the Romney political machine was and began to understand how important it is to master complex, arcane party rules.

By 2013, I was elected Chairman of the Arlington Falls Church Young Republicans — as an openly-libertarian Republican — and sought to:

1. Grow the AFCYRs to the largest Young Republican chapter in Virginia, and;

2. Change the perception of YRs from a “happy hour” organization to a political operation that helps candidates and the local party infrastructure.

Under my leadership, we did both — by being a welcoming chapter, open to ANY Republican who wanted to get involved (regardless of intra-party ideology) and by offering opportunities for members to plug in to committee and campaign efforts.

As an outsider, I hated when “establishment” types sought to close the process to new activists and realized welcoming new activists, rather than turning them away, might produce allies rather than antagonists.

We live in a two-party, first-past-the-post, winner-take-all political system. There are only two parties — Democrats and Republicans. If someone who is *mostly* Republican wants to get involved — even if they’re a different kind of Republican than I am — my inclination is to plug them into something productive.

An adversary can quickly become an ally if you give them something productive to do.

In 2014, I helped build a trans-partisan coalition that elected the first non-Democrat to the Arlington County Board in a generation.

Political success for Republicans, even in a place like Arlington, is possible when you expand your membership and plug activists and members into productive activity.

I ended my time as Chairman of the Arlington Falls Church Young Republicans in 2015, supporting as my successor, handing him a large, politically-active YR chapter.

Success in party politics partly depends on the infrastructure you leave behind after you vacate your leadership post.

My professional obligations put me on the road a lot from 2015 to 2020, so I didn’t stay as involved in local Republican efforts. I did, however, take control of communications channels for the Arlington County Republican Committee, building its email list to 10,000+ recipients and using regular updates to drive enthusiasm and productive activity.

You can sign up to receive regular email updates from the Arlington GOP here.

I did, however, serve as At-Large Delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland during this time.

I returned to focused local activism in 2021 and became Chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee, assuming the role mid-term when the then-Chairman moved out of the area.

Ascending to Chairman was not a responsibility I took likely. I thought long and hard about the role and responsibilities of a Unit Committee Chairman, and I took on the role only because I knew I could invest my time and effort into it.

Unit Committee Chairman is hardly a part-time job; it takes someone who can cast a bold vision, lead and inspire a group of disparate Republicans with divergent views and interests, expand membership and efforts, and plug members and activists into productive activity.

As Chairman, I expanded Arlington GOP membership (we’re the largest we’ve been in a generation), helped recruit candidates (four of five down-ballot races had Republican or Republican-backed candidates in 2025), more than doubled our fundraising, and expanded leadership opportunities within the Committee.

Have I done everything right? No. Have I done everything I can do? No.

But is the Arlington GOP on the right track? I believe so.

In addition to my local GOP efforts, I have been involved in party politics in two other ways:

1. I have attended nearly every regular meeting of the Republican National Committee (RNC), the GOP’s “Board of Directors,” since the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa as the special assistant to Morton Blackwell, Virginia’s Republican National Committeeman and the longest serving member of the RNC.

2. I have carved out a niche as a communicator on local, national, and international television, radio, and other platforms as a “Republican strategist,” speaking about campaign efforts as well as party politics.

While I started my activism in Republican Party politics nearly two decades ago as an “outsider,” many would probably argue I’m an “establishment” Republican, in the sense that I have held a number of leadership positions within the GOP.

That said, I lead Republican efforts with an outsider’s perspective — asking myself, how can I empower the most Republican activists to get involved in productive activity?

Party politics by addition and multiplication is much more productive than subtraction and division.

Hopefully, I’ve answered the first question in the title of this post.

Allow me to wind down this entry by answering the second question: Why am I qualified to tell you how to get involved in Republican politics?

As you read above, I’ve spent nearly two decades in Republican Party politics — from outsider activist to local chairman to national delegate.

I’ve helped grow organizations, recruit candidates, build winning coalitions, and navigate the complex rules that shape real political power. I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and how ordinary activists can make an extraordinary impact.

My goal — on this platform and elsewhere — is to help you be as effective as you can be.

Matthew Hurtt is the Chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee, the RPV-constituted Unit Committee for Arlington County, Virginia. As Chairman, his governing philosophy is “the more people involved and engaged in productive activity, the better.”

Unit (County and City) Committees constituted under the Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) exist for a period of two years. They hold organizational meetings in the early part of even-numbered years, electing membership and leadership, and wind down in the early part of the next even-numbered year.

You can see a list of Unit (County and City) Committees in Virginia here.

Unit Committees are the smallest, regularly-functioning organizational unit of the RPV. When someone says, “I want to join my local Republican Party,” they probably mean they want to join their Unit Committee.

Another kind of committee, sometimes smaller, is the Legislative District Committee, which is established by Unit Committees to select the nomination process for State Senate and House of Delegates races. These committees do not hold regular public meetings, nor are they the primary way local Republican activists get involved in the Republican Party.

For the purpose of these posts, I will refer to Unit Committees as the building blocks of the RPV.

Republican organizations that do not fall under this organizational structure but which are important to the overall Republican Party presence include Women’s Republican Clubs, Young Republican Clubs, and even Teenage Republican Clubs.

These organizations exist as an “auxiliary” to the Unit Committees whose jurisdiction they inhabit. The Arlington-Alexandria-Falls Church Young Republicans, for example, whose membership overlaps with three existing Unit Committees, may organize and collaborate with each Unit Committee.

These auxiliary organizations have a limited role on the RPV State Central Committee (SCC); however, you can “rise up through the ranks” in any of these auxiliary organizations to become a leader in a Unit Committee or other organization within the RPV.

Prior to my involvement in the Arlington County Republican Committee, the RPV-constituted Unit Committee for Arlington County, Virginia, I served in leadership roles in the Arlington-Falls Church Young Republicans.

I digress.

As you read this, there is likely a Unit Committee (local GOP) functioning in your community. They hold regular meetings, maintain an active membership, coordinate with campaigns to generate volunteer activity, and engage in ongoing public policy fights at the local level.

The size of the Committee and time commitment invested by leadership and members generally drives the amount of activity from that Committee.

For a good idea of what a Unit Committee should be doing, you can read this.

For some common answers to the question, “Why isn’t my Committee doing X,” you can read this.

Generally speaking, an active, successful Unit Committee hosts regular, action-oriented meetings, plugs existing members into leadership and volunteer efforts, recruits new members, and establishes a regular presence in the community.

You should know, a Unit Committee is an all-volunteer operation and is constrained in what it can do by what its members are willing to do and what it amasses resources to do. Even when it has sufficient member-volunteers and resources, the Unit Committee must prioritize its activities based on what its members and leadership sees as valuable, or not.

I sometimes hear, “Why aren’t you doing X,” a question I answered in a post linked above. But if the Unit Committee can do “X” (and it’s a productive thing to do), I generally turn the question back on the person who asked, giving them an opportunity to lead our efforts doing “X,” whatever that is.

With that in mind, the best way to “take over” your local Unit Committee is to show up, offer to help build out the Committee’s efforts, and eventually find yourself in a role that allows you to run for Chairman or some other leadership position.

The second best way to “take over” your local Unit Committee is to organize ahead of its organizational meeting, recruit fellow Republican activists to join the Unit Committee (paying dues and attending the organizational meeting), filing the necessary fee to run for leadership, then turning out your supporters to elect you.

One of two things will happen: You will win, or you will lose. I offer suggestions on what to do next after each outcome in the linked posts.

Many Unit Committee Chairmen rise to leadership positions because they’ve shown up, gotten involved, and expanded the Committee’s efforts.

Here’s a little-realized fact for most grassroots Republicans who see themselves as outsiders to their Unit Committee: Few Unit Committee Chairmen conspire to rise to the covetous role of Local Party Chairman, only to hold the title of “Establishment Chairman” and withhold power and access to people they defeated.

Some people do the latter, but it’s a petty way to “do” politics and tends to lead to subtraction, division, and in-fighting within the local GOP, rather than addition and multiplication.

Being an exclusionary, power-hungry Unit Committee Chairman is not a successful way to win in the long-term.

Truthfully, serving as Unit Committee Chairman (I love doing it, don’t get me wrong) is one of the worst jobs in politics. You get all the blame for whatever the Unit Committee doesn’t do (or what it does wrong) and none of the credit for what it does right.

On top of all that, you don’t get paid! In fact, I invest thousands of dollars of my own hard-earned money into the Unit Committee I lead each year.

That said, rallying and organizing local Republicans is one of my favorite things. I have truly loved serving in leadership roles in the various Republican organizations with which I’ve been affiliated.

Truth be told, there’s no secret to “taking over” your local GOP.

Showing up and being committed to the cause (usually, expanding the Committee’s efforts and helping elect Republicans) is the best way. Out-organizing “the establishment” ahead of the next organizational meeting is the second-best way.

Whichever way you choose, it’s important to be committed to growing your Unit Committee, expanding its membership, and helping win elections in the long-term.

If you’re thinking about running for Chairman of your local Unit Committee in 2026, I encourage you to keep an eye on the RPV calendar to know when your Unit Committee’s organizational meeting will take place.

Matthew Hurtt is the Chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee, the RPV-constituted Unit Committee for Arlington County, Virginia. As Chairman, his governing philosophy is “the more people involved and engaged in productive activity, the better.”

There’s a growing frustration among grassroots Republican activists online in the fallout of the 2025 Virginia election results, where Winsome Earle-Sears led the Republican ticket with a resounding 15-point defeat. Republican losses cascaded down the ballot, leading to Democrats flipping 13 seats in the House of Delegates.

Others have begun to pick apart the results — with Dwayne Yancey tying Republicans’ loss of 13 seats in the House of Delegates to Earle-Sears’s losing margin — however, this post is intended to help you channel your frustration into productive next steps.

Political Parties are made up of organizations and members, and they are governed by sets of rules that outline the who, what, when, where, and how of the party.

In Virginia, the Republican Party (RPV) is governed by this Plan of Organization, which outlines the existence of various committees (State Central Committee, Congressional District Committees, Legislative District Committees, and County and City Committees), rules for membership, and the timelines of important events like organizational meetings and candidate nominating processes.

Knowing these rules can put you on a level playing field with the “establishment,” whomever that is in your community.

While I could write an exhaustive series of posts on the RPV’s Plan of Organization, I will instead focus on two important events which will take place in early 2026:

1. (Congressional) District Committee Biennial District Convention

2. County and City Committee (Unit) Organizational Meetings

Article VIII, Section C of the RPV Plan of Organization outlines a process called the District Committee Biennial (or Quadrennial) District Convention:

A District Convention, which may be the Quadrennial or Biennial District Convention, Party Canvass or Primary shall be held in each year in which there is to be an election for Congressman for nominating a candidate and for other proper purposes.

Congressional District Committees hold in even-numbered years an organizational convention — a party-run process whereby County and City Committees within the district send delegates to elect District Committee leadership, decide on a nominating process for the Republican Party for the congressional race for that district, and “for other proper purposes,” which could mean a host of things.

In spring 2026, each District Committee will hold a convention to select a District Chairman, who also serves on the governing body for the Republican Party of Virginia (the State Central Committee, or SCC for short).

Attendance at these District Conventions is generally driven higher by factional disagreements within the County or City Committees or general Republican unrest across the district. Attendance trends lower when there is little or no factional in-fighting between and among Republicans within the district.

Attendance in Midterm election years tends to be lower than in Presidential election years, where competing presidential campaigns organize and send delegates and where party organizers seek to run for other positions on the convention ballot (like the three State Central Committee members who are elected from each district).

District Committee Biennial (or Quadrennial) District Conventions follow a series of County and City Committee (Unit) Organizational Meetings, where local “Unit Committees” are re-constituted.

Article VI, Section B of the RPV Plan of Organization outlines a process for the election and term of the Unit Committee Chairman and members:

The Chairman and other members of the Committee shall be elected by the Mass Meeting, Party Canvass, Convention, or Primary called for the purpose of electing delegates to the Biennial District Convention for a term of two (2) years or until their successors are elected.

In simpler terms, Unit Committees (like the Arlington GOP) are “constituted” (established) in even-numbered years, electing a Chairman and its members, as well as selecting delegates to attend the District Committee Biennial (or Quadrennial) District Convention.

The Committee exists for a period of two years, until the next even-numbered year, before being “re-constituted” ahead of another District Committee Biennial (or Quadrennial) District Convention.

Exciting stuff, right?

To tie it all together, here’s what will happen next:

Your local Unit Committee will issue a call, likely for a Mass Meeting, at which interested Republicans will submit membership paperwork, pay dues, and elect a Chairman. In addition to “re-constituting” the Unit Committee, members will also elect delegates to their respective District Committee Biennial District Convention.

Your District Committee will issue a call for a District Convention.

These two events tend to fall within a couple months of one another. The “Calls” (announcements) for Unit Committee meetings and District Committee Biennial District Conventions will be advertised on the Republican Party of Virginia’s event calendar.

You need not be a member of your Unit Committee to serve as a delegate to the District Committee Biennial District Convention, nor are you compelled to serve as a delegate to the District Committee Biennial District Convention if you want to become a member of your Unit Committee.

While the organization of a Unit Committee feeds into the execution of a District Committee Biennial District Convention, they are independent party processes.

So, what can you do?

If you’re new to Republican Party politics, or you’re just frustrated with what you believe is a lack of productive activity in the last election, I encourage you to join your local Unit Committee AND participate in the District Committee Biennial District Convention.

Committees aren’t some nebulous entity — they’re all-volunteer organizations made up of men and women who show up to *do* something. Some Committees have more members or engage in more activity. Some Committees do very little.

If you think something isn’t being done, it’s highly likely the Committee (made up of people) didn’t have the bandwidth or the resources to do it. The worst-case scenario is it’s made up of people who cherish titles but do very little.

The only way to tell, really, is to show up and find out.

I encourage you to identify your local Unit Committee and reach out to the Chairman using the RPV’s “Find Your Local GOP” directory.

If you can’t get in touch with your Unit Committee Chairman, or you’re not sure who you should contact, reach out to me. I’d be happy to help connect you with your local Unit Committee.

Be on the lookout for the next post, which will outline how to run for leadership positions in your Unit Committee or District Committee in 2026.

Matthew Hurtt is the Chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee, the RPV-constituted Unit Committee for Arlington County, Virginia. As Chairman, his governing philosophy is “the more people involved and engaged in productive activity, the better.”

State Senator Mark Peake (R-Lynchburg) was overwhelmingly elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) earlier today at a meeting in Richmond of the RPV’s State Central Committee (SCC). Senator Peake, who ran against Loudoun County Republican Committee Chairman Scott Pio, won 62-to-15, according members of the SCC.

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Senator Peake will fill the unexpired term of immediate past Chairman Rich Anderson, who was nominated by President Donald J. Trump to serve as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force. The term runs until the RPV Convention in 2028. (An earlier version of this post indicated the Chairman’s term ran until 2026.)

Anderson’s nomination was received in the U.S. Senate and referred to the Armed Services Committee on March 10th; however, no further action has taken place.

The outcome of the race for RPV Chairman was hardly in question, with Senator Peake earning the early support of Governor Glenn Youngkin — an endorsement that served as a nod to members of the RPV’s governing body.

Loudoun County Republican Committee Chairman Scott Pio, who released a comprehensive plan, received a smattering of support from grassroots conservative activists. Pio is frequently at odds with RPV leadership for his sometimes unconventional tactics.

As a Unit Committee Chairman in Northern Virginia, I often take pro-active, aggressive steps to advance Republican principles in Arlington, so I admire Pio’s tenacity. I won’t presume to tell another Unit Committee Chair how to run his or her Committee.

I’m not a member of RPV’s State Central Committee, and — while I work closely with RPV staff — the outcome of the Chairman’s race has very little impact on my work in Arlington.

Congratulations to Senator Peake on his election as RPV Chairman, and I hope he implements some of the ideas put forward by Loudoun County Republican Committee Chairman Scott Pio.

The more important question in this development is, who will newly-elected RPV Chairman Mark Peake hire as RPV Executive Director? Outgoing Executive Director Ken Nunnenkamp, Jr., departed to take a position with the State Senate Republican Caucus, according to a March 7th email from then-RPV Chairman Rich Anderson.

While the RPV Chairman plays an important role in Party leadership, the Executive Director makes many of the day-to-day decisions of the RPV. In the midst of a critical gubernatorial election cycle, it’s important the new Executive Director hits the ground running.

Speaking of the gubernatorial election, the deadline to successfully file to gain access to the primary ballot for statewide and legislative races was Thursday, April 3rd, and current Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears was the only Republican to qualify for the ballot in the race for governor.

Both former State Senator Amanda Chase and former Delegate Dave LaRock mounted spirited, grassroots-driven efforts but ultimately fell short of the necessary signature threshold to qualify for the ballot.

While Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity submitted 15,000 ballot access petition signatures (5,000 more than required) on March 17th, it’s unclear if either of the other announced candidates for lieutenant governor will appear on the primary ballot alongside Herrity. The Virginia Department of Elections announced the Primary Elections candidate lists will be posted next week.

Current Attorney General Jason Miyares was the only candidate to successfully file for the Republican nomination for Attorney General, so he joins Winsome Earle-Sears as the de facto Republican nominee in their respective races.

At the close of the 1st Quarter (2025) fundraising period, which ended on March 31st, Lieutenant Governor Earle-Sears announced she raised $3.1 million for the period, while Fairfax Supervisor Herrity announced he raised over $500,000 in the same period. Attorney General Jason Miyares has not yet announced his 1st Quarter haul.

With 66 days to go before the June 17th primary, the statewide race for Republicans is coming into focus, and we have our work cut out for us. I encourage you to become a member of your local Unit Committee and/or volunteer and contribute to the Republican candidate of your choice — especially in Northern Virginia.

I have traveled twice to China for personal reasons — once in late summer 2023 and again earlier this year to celebrate Chinese New Year, or “Spring Festival” (Simplified Chinese: 春节; Pinyin: Chūnjié). Of all the places I’ve traveled (nearly every U.S. state, across Europe, the Caribbean, Morocco, and Argentina), China is probably my favorite place for cultural and culinary reasons — beyond just personal considerations.

Given the language, distance, and political considerations, it may not be high on your list of places to visit. But if you do, here are some things you should know:

1. Visa & Entry Requirements

Unlike travel to many foreign countries, which offer “visa on arrival” for Americans, your must apply and be approved for a visa before arrival. The Embassy for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) provides information about the kinds of visas you may obtain.

I applied for and received two “L” (tourist) visas. In addition to the 9-page application form — and given my employment — I provided additional information in my visa application packet, including a letter from my employer explaining I would not be engaged in any work activity while in the country.

In the event you’re just passing through China on the way to another country, some cities allow transit without a visa (e.g., Shanghai, Beijing) for up to 240 hours. You can read more about vise-free transit here.

As with travel to most foreign countries, you should ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your stay.

2. Phone, Apps, & Communication

I purchased an “unlocked” iPhone on Amazon that I use when I travel to China. I also purchase a Chinese SIM card (delivered to my apartment ahead of each trip) for access to data and other basic cell services while in the country.

Given the geopolitical and technological considerations, I do not take any personal devices other than my “Chinese phone” to China, which means I travel from my house to the airport through whatever country I’m traveling and onto China with a phone that only works on WiFi. Take that into consideration as you plan for your trip.

If you wait until you arrive at the airport in China to pick up a phone or a SIM card, you won’t have access to some of the apps you can traditionally access in the United States.

China’s “Great Firewall” prevents access to popular Western websites and apps like Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and others. You likely depend on apps in the United States you won’t be able to access while traveling through China.

Several widely-used apps in China may serve as adequate replacements for the apps you usually rely on. I encourage you to consider the scope of data collection when downloading any of these apps. I have a separate iCloud account that I use in conjunction with my “Chinese phone” for these trips.

Here are suggested popular apps used in China:

Alipay (支付宝): China is a largely cash-less economy, and the primary method of payment is through Alipay, an app you can link to a debit card to make payments at department stores, food stalls, museums and cultural sites, and even street vendors. Alipay is also used for public transit and other mobility considerations.

WeChat (微信): While WeChat also gives users the ability to make payments, that’s not the reason the app was initially developed. WeChat is geared towards social media — think of it like a Chinese “Facebook/Messenger” — in the sense that you can post updates, connect and message with other users, and “like” pages for companies, museums, and historic sites. This app is essential, and — if you’re traveling with a “Chinese” phone, you should set it up before you arrive.

Apple Maps (苹果地图) and/or GaoDe DiTu (高德地图): The Google Suite of apps and programs is unavailable in China, so you’ll want to be properly equipped with apps to get around. My reading comprehension of Simplified Chinese is almost nonexistent, and so are English translations outside airports. You will also likely have some trouble (in my experience) finding someone fluent enough in English outside of big cities to answer questions and offer directions.

Apple Maps only shows transit data when you are using a Mainland Chinese SIM card or accessing the internet in mainland China. And it’s not always accurate, given China’s rapidly changing landscape.

If you’re a little more adventurous (and can read Simplified Chinese), GaoDe DiTu has the most detailed, up-to-date information. You could stumble your way through it with a grasp of pinyin (the romanized spelling for transliterating Chinese).

Baidu Translate (百度翻译): A dependable translation app is a must-have in China. Baidu Translate offers a clear interface and reliable translations. The functionality extends far beyond basic text translation, as well.

DiDi (滴滴出行): Think of DiDi like Uber. It’s a must-have ride-hailing app that can get you around China’s large cities when you’re not comfortable using public transportation.

3. Podcasts About Chinese Culture, History, & Government

Whether or not you plan to travel to China, there’s likely a lot you don’t know about Chinese history, culture, and government. Here are some podcasts I’ve discovered that give me additional insight into the 4,000 years of rich history of the Chinese people, with a special focus on recent history and current events:

Drum Tower (The Economist): Reporters Alice Su and David Rennie analyze the stories at the heart of this vast country and examine its influence beyond its borders. They're frequently joined by their global network of correspondents and expert guests to examine how everything from party politics to business, technology and culture are reshaping China and the world.

Early episodes of Drum Tower are free, but the podcast went behind a paywall at beginning of 2024. If Chinese current events are of interest to you, this may be worth the subscription. Here’s the website for the podcast.

Chinese Whispers (The Spectator): A fortnightly (it’s British) podcast on the latest in Chinese politics, society, and more. From Huawei to Hong Kong, Cindy Yu talks to experts, journalists, and long time China-watchers on what you need to know about China.

Here’s the website for the podcast.

ChinaPower (CSIS): The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, produces several podcasts featuring experts & scholars on a range of critical issues surrounding geopolitics, national security, defense, & international affairs topics.

Host Bonny Lin dissects critical issues underpinning China’s emergence as a global power.

Here’s the website for the podcast.

Pekingology (CSIS): China has emerged as one of the 21st century’s most consequential nations, making it more important than ever to understand how the country is governed. True to the name Pekingology, or the study of the political behavior of the People’s Republic of China, this podcast aims to unpack the behavior of the Chinese Communist Party and implications these actions have within China and for U.S.-China relations.

Jude Blanchette, the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, is joined by various experts to analyze the activities of the Chinese governing system and how these impact the complex relationships relating to China.

Here’s the website for the podcast.

China Field Notes – with Scott Kennedy (CSIS): Understanding China has become more difficult than ever. It has also become more important than ever. Whether the United States and China are rivals, partners, or a mix of both, effective policy will only be as good as the information on which it is based.

Host Scott Kennedy, the Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at CSIS, has been one of the few American scholars to travel between Washington and Beijing in recent years. His travels are driven by a firm belief that field research, direct observation, and talking and listening to Chinese perspectives must be a part of our toolkit to understand the People’s Republic of China.

Here’s the website for the podcast.

There’s another interesting podcast I’ll share with you in a future post about state messaging and influence.

4. Money & Payments

As noted above, cash isn’t king in China. You will be able to use Alipay and WeChat for nearly every purchase you make. I link a bank card to these apps. You can take additional precautions by opening an account at a separate bank from your primary domestic financial transactions.

Foreign credit cards are rarely accepted except at major hotels and international businesses. In my two trips to China, I haven’t used a foreign credit or debit card directly for a single purchase. That’s one reason I recommend Alipay and WeChat so strongly.

You might want to exchange some cash (Chinese yuan, CNY) before arrival or at ATMs, although I haven’t used cash for any commercial transactions.

5. Awareness & Safety

Despite political considerations, China is a relatively safe country in general, and for tourists, in particular. It’s in the best interest for China and the home countries of its tourists to minimize the likelihood of international incidents, and that’s to your benefit.

Instances of street crime are relatively low, but it’s wise to keep your wallet or other important documents close by in crowded areas. Whatever you think of foot traffic in places like New York’s Times Square, it’s nothing in comparison to a busy neighborhood in Beijing or Chengdu.

I remember walking through the National Museum of China (中国国家博物馆) off Tiananmen Square in Beijing about a week before school resumed in summer 2023. There were hundreds (probably thousands) of people in the museum, mostly school-age.

I can’t quite describe it, but I have found pedestrians in China tend to walk with little regard to their human surroundings. And you can find yourself surrounded by an entirely new group of pedestrians at a moment’s notice, making it possible to separate you from your tour guide, host, etc.

Try to walk deliberately, and in instances where you find yourself among a large group of people, maintain awareness of your personal space and your possessions. Though the likelihood is low, it would be nearly impossible to reclaim an item that had been slipped out of your pocket, given the volume of people and the ease at which someone could slip past you and disappear into the throng.

Beyond taking account of your personal surroundings, it’s important to consider the laws on the books and the implications of political conversations.

Under no circumstances should you do anything you know to be illegal — steal, do drugs, etc.

And you should also avoid politically-charged conversations. This isn’t the time to express your views on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, or the governance structure of the People’s Republic of China.

Lastly, consider the unknown — the nature and scope of the surveillance apparatus. Visible elements of the surveillance apparatus are abundant, but the totality of the surveillance state cannot possibly by known to you. Assume your movements — in public, private, and online — can be reviewed, if necessary.

6. Food & Drink

The food in China is truly unmatched, and there are infinite possibilities to try something new — from street food to restaurants and banquet halls, to family gatherings. I will write about my culinary experiences in another post because food is such an important part of Chinese culture.

In fact, a common Chinese greeting is «你吃了吗?» (Pinyin: Nǐ chī le ma?), or “Have you eaten?” If you have a chance to visit someone in their home, they will no doubt ask you this question.

Family and friends gather, often around meals, but eating never really stops at just breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Between and before meals, it is common for hosts to provide fruit and other snacks to guests. I have been in situations where I finished a meal with family or friends and continued snacking all the way through to the next meal.

There’s even a “snack box” in my apartment, a nod to the importance of having something handy to eat seen in many Chinese homes.

And if you think dinner is the last meal of the day, you would be wrong — especially around Spring Festival and other family gatherings.

In many large cities in China, there are tons of late-night street food and restaurant options. In Sichuan Province, for example, it is common during festivals and when gathering with family to finish dinner, rest for a bit, and then go with friends, family, or your host to enjoy street barbecue (Simplified Chinese: 烧烤; Pinyin: Shāokǎo).

When gathering with family or during festivals, you might be offered a glass of baijiu (Simplified Chinese: 白酒; Pinyin: Báijiǔ), a form of clear liquor that can range between 35% and 60% ABV.

Baijiu often comes in ornate bottles and can be distilled from fermented sorghum, rice or glutinous rice or wheat, barley, millet, or Job's tears (Simplified Chinese: 薏苡; Pinyin: Yìyǐ).

At family gatherings and festivals, baijiu is usually poured into a glass three times the size of a shot glass for each imbibing guest, and then poured into a much smaller glass for toasts. Guests then drink what amounts to a sip of baijiu during each round.

Not every guest will drink baijiu, so it is common to have tea, orange soda, or even yogurt at meals.

Given that tap water isn’t safe to drink, you will rarely be served water directly from the kitchen sink. Water is usually brought to a boil in a kettle and served hot/warm or as tea.

Contrary to what you might think, not every prepared dish is spicy. Traditional Chinese dishes may mix a combination of five flavors (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy). Texture is also taken into consideration.

No number of posts by me will do justice to the importance of food in China. If you’re interested in embarking on a adventure through China’s rich culinary history, I encourage you to watch “A Bite of China,” a three-season Chinese documentary television series on the history and traditions of food, dining, and cooking in China produced by China Central Television (CCTV).

7. Cultural Norms

The last section of this post will touch on cultural norms I’ve observed during my visits to China. This list is by no means exhaustive:

• Respect for Elders: Elders are highly respected in this life and the afterlife; when gathering with family, family units give deference to the most senior member of the family. Additionally, families will travel to the gravesites of deceased family members to pay respect during some holidays, festivals, and family gatherings.

• Sharing Food: Meals are usually served “family style,” with dishes placed in the center of the table. Diners will take from shared dishes one portion at a time. Dining setup may include a bowl for rice, a plate, and a small glass for tea. Depending on the situation, bones (from chicken, fish, etc.) may be discarded directly onto the table at the diner’s place setting.

• Chopstick Rules: You should never stick chopsticks upright in rice, as it resembles incense used in funerals. You should also refrain from pointing at people with chopsticks.

• Paying the Bill: Most of my meals have been with various family units, but beyond that, fighting over who pays the bill is common. It’s a sign of generosity, but guests are usually expected to make a polite effort to pay.

• Gift Giving is Important: I have traveled to China to visit family twice, taking gifts for (likely) every family member each time. Common gifts include toys for younger family members, accessories or luxury items (think, Coach wallets, belts, or bags) for aunts and uncles, and vitamins for elderly family.

• Refusal Before Accepting: I learned this one the hard way. It is commonplace and polite to refuse a gift once or twice before finally accepting.

• Chinese New Year: The most important holiday, celebrated with family gatherings, giving and receiving red envelopes (Simplified Chinese: 红包; Pinyin: Hóngbāo), and fireworks.

• Crowded Spaces: I mentioned an element of this above, but pushing and shoving in crowded areas (like public transport) is normal and not considered rude. The sheer volume of people in some large cities makes this inescapable.

• Personal Questions: It’s normal for people to ask about age, salary, or marital status. Given the reason for my travel (visiting family), I was frequently asked variations of these questions.

There’s plenty more I plan to cover in future posts about my experiences in China, including the importance of food and family, as well as other aspects of Chinese culture and society.

I’m interested in your thoughts, questions, and comments. Leave them below, and I’ll reply to them in future posts.

This post will be updated here with links to future posts. Keep an eye out for updates in the coming weeks.