OUR PRINCIPLE

The Washington and Lee University Mock Convention is a mock presidential nominating convention held every four years by the students of W&L. Its goal is to predict who the party out of power will nominate to run for President of the United States.

Mock Con began in 1908 when presidential candidate Williams Jennings Bryan announced a visit to Lexington, VA, sparking interest on W&L’s campus. The Forum, the campus’ largest political club at the time, hosted a replica of the upcoming Democratic Convention to honor the visit of Bryan and to heighten the excitement of the student body. The accurate prediction of Bryan as the nominee cemented Mock Convention as one of the core features of the Washington and Lee experience.

As the most accurate political mock convention in the nation, our goal is to promote civic activity and political engagement in the W&L community and beyond. This cycle will be a Republican one, and we will work to create an accurate, unique, and memorable convention for Washington and Lee students while preserving the rich legacy of the Mock Convention. Learn more about the Mock Con Student Team here.

EVENTS

The Convention

Lasting over three days in total, the trademark event of MockCon, the Convention, features political speakers from every part of the party: from politicians, to press secretaries, to activists. After each speaker touches on a topic and endorses a candidate, each delegation casts their vote, cementing the prediction for presidential nominee.

PRAISE FOR MOCK CONVENTION