The owner of Ridgerunner real estate, Josh Abbotoy, is developing a subdivision in the Appalachian Mountains, in Tennessee, USA, focused on agriculture and religious life. The enterprise prioritizes principles such as “Faith, family and freedom”, because, according to Abbotoy, “these are the values we try to exalt”.
According to the investigation carried out by the BBC, the project also has areas in Kentucky and is defined by Abbotoy as an “affinity-based community”, aimed at those who share right-wing ideals.
However, the project attracted controversy due to the positions of its first clients: pastor Andrew Isker and businessman C. Jay Engel.
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They define themselves as “Christian nationalists” and question achievements such as women’s suffrage and civil rights, in addition to defending the slogan “repeal the 20th century” and the mass deportation of immigrants, even legalized ones.
The controversy takes place in Gainesboro, a small town of 900 inhabitants, and the presence of the group generated fear. To the newspaper, one of the residents, Nan Coons, reported the neighborhood’s fear: “You don’t know who these people are, nor what they are capable of”, adding that “it’s scary”. Although Abbotoy does not identify with Christian nationalism, he considers the concerns exaggerated.
Podcasters concept
Isker and Engel produce the podcast Contra Mundum (Latin for “against the world”) in a studio at Ridgerunner headquarters, a space where they guide the public in seeking political control of smaller municipalities.
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In one of the broadcasts, Isker stated that being able to establish the exercise of power within a city (which may involve a person joining associations, local councils or influencing authorities such as sheriffs and commissioners) would be an achievement of extreme value.
In addition, Engel also promotes the concept of “legacy Americans” on social media. The concept focuses on Anglo-Protestants with secular roots in the United States and, although he does not explicitly mention whites, he admits that the idea has “strong ethnic correlations”.
He defends the immediate repatriation of immigrants, including those who have legal status in the country. He argues that groups coming from Southeast Asia, India, Ecuador and Africa would have less capacity for integration and should be expelled. Furthermore, both Engel and Isker use their texts and programs to express opposition to the LGBTQIA+ community.
According to Coons, it also reinforces the idea of “family voting”, in which the husband should vote on behalf of the entire family. Later, he stated that it was not “wrong” for women to vote, but maintained his support for the family model. Despite these statements, podcasters refute the white nationalist label.
Municipal resistance
The group’s positions motivated the creation of a resistance network among Gainesboro residents. Businesswoman Diana Mandli, an influential figure in the region, believes that the group’s objective is to transform the municipality and county into a stronghold of Christian nationalist ideology.
As a form of protest, Mandli used a chalkboard at the entrance to his former establishment, in the central square, to leave a clear warning: “If you are a person or group that promotes the inferiority or oppression of others, please eat elsewhere.”
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Community mobilization also led to direct confrontations. According to the BBC’s investigation, when Ridgerunner leaders were located in a restaurant in the city, dozens of residents came to the place to question them about the project.
Project stage
Currently, Ridgerunner is preparing the basic infrastructure and half of the land is already contracted. Abbotoy expects the first residents in 2027 and explains that its clients are only looking for communities with similar values.
He describes the controversies as debates about “great ideas and books” and argues that “turning back the 20th century can mean many things. Many conservatives would say we have taken many wrong paths.”
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The clash in Gainesboro involves characters that go beyond the limits of Tennessee. Josh Abbotoy, a Harvard Law graduate, works as a partner in a conservative investment fund and founded a portal that publishes content from Christian nationalists.
On the other hand, residents who oppose the project have the support of the organization States at the Core, an entity focused on combating authoritarianism in small communities.
Ridgerunner alleges that local resistance is orchestrated by influential liberal groups, as States at the Core receives funding from left-leaning organizations. However, Gainesboro residents refute the accusation. Nan Coons told the BBC that his motivation is spontaneous: “Nobody paid me to say anything.”
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The scenario reflects a broader political dispute over the interior of the United States. While the Republicans increased their dominance in rural areas in 2024, with Donald Trump reaching 69% of the vote in these areas, the Democratic Party announced million-dollar investments to try to reconnect with this electorate in the next elections.
Abbotoy recognizes this political movement, but points out that there is a migratory flow of people to smaller cities in search of traditional conservative culture. Coons and his allies reinforce that they do not intend to hand over their hometown to Christian nationalism. According to her, to reverse this trend, it is necessary to act locally: “I need to defend something and that is what I defend”.
