In conservative political circles, one of the most persistent barriers to meaningful progress is the presence of individuals who prioritize status over substance.

These operatives often seek immediate recognition (titles, influence, and proximity to power) without demonstrating the initiative or discipline required to lead. Once embedded within a campaign or organization, they quickly lobby for elevated roles, only to disappear and do nothing once the positions are secured.

What follows is a pattern of internal sabotage, minimal effort, strategic procrastination, and a calculated avoidance of responsibility. They always seem to have an excuse for not getting something done on time or a reason for producing inadequate work.

This behavior exemplifies what I call résumé conservatism- a performative approach to conservative politics where the appearance of involvement matters more than actual impact. They don't care about the success of their cause, just if they can attach a title to themselves.

To be clear, this phenomenon is not exclusive to the political right. It isn't even exclusive to politics. It exists across industries, in every sector where status outpaces accountability. These individuals speak often of results, but rarely deliver them. They offer empty words, rehearsed talking points, yet consistently avoid doing the work themselves.

It’s all talk, no action.

Brilyn Hollyhand embodies résumé conservatism. His ascent reflects a broader trend within the GOP- one that rewards branding over contribution, and titles over tangible achievement.

Take the Republican National Committee (RNC) Youth Advisory Council for example.

The idea started when Brilyn reached out directly to then-RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel (Mitt Romney’s niece) in early 2023 with a proposal; create a youth council that would give young conservatives a voice and help get Gen Z out to vote for Donald Trump in 2024. McDaniel agreed, and by summer, the RNC Youth Advisory Council was born, with Hollyhand and C.J. Pearson as co-chairs.

The objective of the RNC Youth Council seemed logical—give Gen Z conservatives a seat at the table, advise the RNC on youth engagement, and help mobilize young voters to support Donald Trump. In such a close election, mobilizing the youth would be a perfect way for the RNC and Brilyn to help Trump win the election.

When the Republican National Committee launched its Youth Advisory Council in 2023, it had every reason to succeed. Backed by the full weight of the RNC and equipped with institutional connections, the council had the tools to make a real difference with Gen Z voters.

Brilyn was given a golden opportunity to prove he could lead. He had the infrastructure, the resources, and the chance to build something lasting.

But by late 2023, those hopes had vanished. Despite having every resource at his disposal, Brilyn failed to turn the council into a force for youth engagement. There is no record of meaningful organizing, no strategy to mobilize Gen Z, and no tangible results.

When pressed about accomplishments, Hollyhand pointed to a “debate” that reportedly drew over one million views online. But social-media metrics aren’t voter mobilization, and certainly nothing to be impressed by.

Are we really supposed to accept that the highlight of the RNC’s Gen Z outreach was a few debates? That’s not leadership or success-it’s laziness. While the Left was flooding campuses and registering voters by the thousands, the Youth Council was nowhere to be found.

Even members of the council itself began to rebel. In December 2023, Republican strategist Caroline Wren and several other members publicly resigned, calling out what they described as “a lack of organization, tangible goals, and vision.” Their letter was blunt- the council, they said, was “another failed fundraising ploy by the RNC.”

In the face of the mass resignations, Hollyhand offered little more than vague statements about engagement and exposure. Meanwhile, others within the group accused him of defending Ronna McDaniel’s failed leadership and refusing to acknowledge that the council had achieved almost nothing.

Even Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer criticized him for defending the RNC’s “Bank Your Vote” program- which, unbelievably, launched in deep-blue California and New York instead of swing states like Arizona or Georgia.

Despite the wreckage, Hollyhand continues to parade his title as Co-Chair of the RNC Youth Council across his social media and even on his speaker booking page, where he reportedly charges over $7,000 per appearance (plus travel). For a failed initiative that accomplished nothing, that’s quite the payday.

We still do not know how much he has charged college conservative groups for speaking on campus.

If he had any self-awareness, he’d be ashamed by the implosion of the RNC Youth Advisory Council. Instead of organizing, mobilizing, or actually leading, he ran the group into the ground and then bragged about a title that means nothing to the grassroots. That’s not leadership-it’s hollow words for a failed résumé.

If Brilyn Hollyhand’s record with the RNC Youth Advisory Council wasn’t enough to cast doubt on his leadership, his receipt of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award in 2022 raises even more serious ethical questions. The award was handed to him by John Merrill, Alabama’s Secretary of State at the time, who also served as Chair of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)- the organization that issued the honor.

Here’s the problem—Merrill received nearly $20,000 in donations from Brilyn’s grandfather, Doug Hollyhand, between 2009 and 2020. Then, in 2022, Merrill personally presented Brilyn with the award. Merrill’s own career ended in scandal after he was caught in an extramarital affair and left office in 2023. Yet while under scrutiny and having received nearly $20,000 from the Hollyhand family, he still handed Brilyn the award.

What exactly did Brilyn do to earn it? According to public reports on the award, his accomplishments that were mentioned boiled down to interviews with politicians. Nothing tangible, nothing actionable, nothing that actually built or served the conservative movement.

And yet the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award’s own ethics rules explicitly state, “Under no circumstances is it permissible for a Secretary of State to present the John Lewis Youth Leadership award for personal, financial, or professional gain.”

Given the financial ties and Brilyn’s underwhelming record, the optics are impossible to ignore. Was this award earned on merit? When has Brilyn ever showed leadership?

The award, like his role at the Youth Advisory Council, looks more like a empty words than any evidence of real leadership.

An inevitable byproduct of résumé conservatism is being completely out of touch with the base. Brilyn's political viewpoints are 2010 GOP slop that is miles away from where Gen Z conservatives are in 2025.

At a recent speaking event, he actually argued for more legal immigration and described America as a “melting pot." His words sound more like a libertarian think tank talking point than a conservative vision.

Does that sound America First to you?

While the base is demanding American worker protections, stopping wage stagnation, and preventing corporations from exploiting cheap labor to undercut employees, Brilyn is still clinging to outdated, globalist talking points that belong in the Romney-era GOP.

His message is completely out of step with a generation that wants action, not platitudes.

He further revealed his lack of serious policy understanding when he was unsure on whether AIPAC should be required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA, a law designed to ensure foreign entities do not unduly influence U.S. policy).

Any competent conservative should grasp its importance.

We cannot return to the days of Mitt Romney-style conservatism. We cannot revert to being a party that treats legal immigration as an untouchable principle while ignoring its consequences on wages, jobs, and national security. We cannot revert to being a party that blindly supports foreign interests, including Israel and AIPAC, at the expense of American sovereignty and citizens’ welfare.

The base is moving to the right. Young conservatives are demanding leaders who will fight for America First, secure our borders, defend working-class families, and stand up to globalist influence. It is imperative that we challenge our representatives to uphold these values and refuse to bend the knee to corporate, foreign, or establishment interests.

Brilyn Hollyhand is the embodiment of résumé conservatism. He failed to deliver on the RNC Youth Advisory Council, ignored the base, and left tangible opportunities wasted as he continues to advocate for outdated, America LAST policies.

It’s time to back principled conservatives who produce real results and fight for America First.