Two industry veterans have joined together to form Republic Book Publishers, a new press dedicated to bringing conservative voices to the fore in such areas as politics, history, and religion.
The principals are Al Regnery, former president and publisher of Regnery Publishing and publisher of American Spectator magazine, and Eric Kampmann, owner of Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Pres as well as the founder of distributor Midpoint Trade. (Kampmann sold Midpoint sold to IPG in 2018, and IPG is set distribute Republic’s titles.)
Regnery will serve as president and publisher of the new company, and will be based in Washington, D.C. Kampmann will remain in New York City and serve as v-p and chief operating officer. Regnery will oversee acquisitions, while Kampmann will be responsible for most other major functions, including production, marketing, and distribution.
The two men will rely on their widespread contacts throughout publishing and politics to acquire and promote their books. “I continually receive calls from authors and agents looking for a publisher,” Regnery said. Regnery also noted that he is most interested in acquiring up-and-coming authors, especially those without major platforms who are overlooked by the big houses. “If you have the right book, you can succeed,” he said. Kampmann added: “We want to publish books that can make a difference in the marketplace.”
Republic released its first book, The Case Against Single Payer by Chris Jacobs, in September. Four more titles are already in the pipeline: The Killing of Uncle Sam by Rodney Howard-Browne and Paul Williams (October); Killing the Planet by Howard-Browne and Williams (November); and The Decline of Nations by Joseph Johnston, Jr. (June).
The men hope to release 12 titles in 2020, increasing output to 20 in 2021, and then hitting 24 by 2022. The company is primarily using a network of freelancers to publish the titles, though Kampmann said he and his partner may look to hire a marketing person with experience in social media.
Republic has been established as a nonprofit, and has begun looking for donations from conservative and libertarian organizations to build a foundation for the company. Regnery and Kampmann hope that by 2022 sales will be high enough to support the publisher as an ongoing business.
