David A. Keene, the conservative activist who led both the American Conservative Union and the National Rifle Association, died at 80 from pancreatic cancer. For nearly three decades, he expanded CPAC from a small gathering to a massive conference drawing over 10,000 right-wing activists annually. Keene advised Republican presidential candidates from Ronald Reagan to Mitt Romney, shaping conservative discourse.

Keene's leadership spanned decades of conservative movement building. He worked with William F. Buckley Jr. early in his career and later took controversial positions, including partnering with the ACLU to oppose parts of the Patriot Act. During his NRA presidency, he successfully blocked Obama gun control legislation in 2013, demonstrating his influence on Second Amendment debates.

Despite his conservative credentials, Keene often reached across ideological lines. He hosted bipartisan poker games for years and advocated with liberal groups for prison reforms. His approach to conservatism leaned libertarian, allowing unexpected alliances. Keene's death marks the passing of a key architect of modern American conservative politics who maintained friendships across the political spectrum.