Dorchester Conference Records, 1965-2014

The Dorchester Conference is the oldest annual political conference in the United States. The conference was first held in 1965 by then-State Representative Robert Packwood. After the 1964 election, it was clear that the Republican Party was losing. President Johnson won 486 electoral votes against Republican nominee, Senator Barry Goldwater, who only won 52 electoral votes. On top of that, Oregon was the only state in which the Republicans won the majority in the House of Representatives in the 1964 general election. The situation prompted Packwood to organize a conference in Lincoln City, Oregon at the Dorchester House. He invited those “who have shown an aptitude and a willingness to assume positions of leadership” and those “who have shown every indication of becoming leaders in the near future” within the Republican Party. The intention of this gathering was to project Oregon’s brand of Republicanism onto other states and onto the national Republican Party. However, conflict within the Oregon Republican Party arose because Packwood intentionally did not invite the state Republican chairman, Governor Elmo Smith of Albany, nor the Republican national committeeman or committeewoman. The controversy that developed ensured that many eyes would be watching the progress and outcome of the first Dorchester Conference.

The Conference proved to be a success. Over 200 people attended, and it won the praise of many Republicans. The press secretary of Governor Mark O. Hatfield, Travis Cross, called it “as refreshing as the sea breezes which surround us. It shows Republicans can have intellectual stimulation and have fun.” The Dorchester Conference proved their capability to be frank about the problems of the Party and its possible future, discussing not only world peace, the population explosion, urbanization, and education, but also the need to let go of their past and look forward by recognizing the need to guarantee equal voting rights and support marginalized groups. The enthusiasm the first conference generated provided the foundation for future Dorchester Conferences, drawing in more attendees each year with topics ranging from the political system and its structure to the economy, foreign policy, the environment, and issues confronting Oregon and the nation. Many of these topics were ahead of their time. Between 1965 and 1969, conference attendees voted and passed resolutions concerning the admission of China into the United Nations, at a time when China was not even legally recognized, and the legalization of abortion, long before Roe v. Wade. Over time the format and purpose of the Dorchester Conference changed; no longer is it an invite-only event nor are resolutions discussed and passed like in earlier conferences, but other features have emerged that are now considered stable traditions of the Conference, like the tent show and brown bag session.