When David, Rob, Soren, and I started kicking around an idea for an online training for conservatives, we maybe expected 50 people would show up to an all-day event in a sleepy August in D.C. when the city practically shuts down.

In light of that, the turnout at Heritage today rocked. More than 150 young conservatives showed up, many from out of town, ready to take the fight directly to the left.

More than anything, it was a great meeting of the minds, and my head is just awash in new ideas from all comers. It was also amazed me to see how many people are really following TechRepublican and instinctively buy in to the narrative about technology and the future of the party that we are building collectively. And that's not just online professionals. These are the people who will be running the campaigns and major nonprofits 5, 10, 15 years down the line.

With the success of the Save the Debate coalition, the emerging competition to ActBlue, and real efforts to churn out more online operatives kicking into high gear, I think we'll look back and say that this is the summer it started to happen.

My panel was about the boring, stodgy topic of email campaigns and how to build a mass movement on the Internet. It's something I don't thing gets enough attention with the current laser-like focus on social media (which is definitely emerging). I co-presented with my friend and former colleague Mindy Finn of Romney for President, who followed up with a case study of the campaign's enormously successful Sign Up America! campaign.

My slideshow is below. Consider this a teaser. You'll need to hear me speak for it actually make sense -- or so I hope!