Jon Stojan
Photo credit: Brynelle Photo
In a world where political divisions seem to grow deeper by the day, finding love can be a minefield—perhaps even more so if you are a young person with right-of-center views. Enter John McEntee.
The former Trump White House staffer has stepped in to fill a gap in the online dating marketplace, historically dominated by platforms that cater to liberals. In 2022, McEntee founded Date Right, aiming to unite like-minded young conservatives in an environment that would not just be welcoming but encouraging of their value systems and help them connect in meaningful ways, without the fear of stigma or alienation.
McEntee, the former director of Trump’s White House personnel, noticed a gap in the dating app market for conservatives who were tired of navigating the often-liberal landscape of mainstream dating platforms.
“I realized there wasn’t an easy way for conservatives to meet and date like-minded people,” McEntee said in a recent interview. “That’s when the idea for Date Right was born.”
Launched in November 2022, Date Right quickly gained traction among conservative singles looking for love without compromising their values.
Unlike other dating apps that might ask users about their astrology signs or partying preferences, Date Right offers prompts that resonate with conservative values.
One of the app’s most heartwarming success stories is of a young couple, Mia and Tayler, who found love through Date Right. Mia, 20, and Tayler, 24, connected on the app in February 2023. Despite living across the country from one another, their match soon turned into a marriage.
For many conservatives, traditional dating apps have been a source of frustration. Mia and Tayler’s experience echoes this sentiment.
“My previous experiences with dating apps were terrible,” Tayler said. “I would download them, see the pool of potential matches, and realize nobody was like-minded at all. You could tell nobody was looking for the same thing, which to me is marriage.”
He had heard about the app through his political circles and decided to give it a shot.
“I told my friend to try it out, and then I thought, why not try it myself?” he said. “It was kind of a joke at first.”
While she shared her now-husband’s views on other mainstream dating apps, Mia was more immediately intrigued by the premise of Date Right.
“You could tell nobody was looking for the same thing, but Date Right felt different,” she said. “It didn’t seem like an app that you would download and then immediately offload because of nastiness.”
Tayler and Mia both had Bible verses in their profiles—an immediate draw and a clear signal that they were in the right place.
After matching on the app, the next 10 days were marked by nightly facetimes and deep-dives into Bible studies.
“That was kind of like our dating at the beginning,” Mia recounts. “From there, our connection continued to grow as we explored our shared values and interests.”
Date Right allows users to post about upcoming conservative events or rallies they’re attending, a feature that helps to make the often nebulous environment of online feel not only more real but more rooted in shared values. By relying on this in-app feature, Mia and Tayler were finally able to meet on Feb. 20 in person at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a political conference where Tayler would be working and happened to need a camera operator.
“That was my excuse to fly her out,” he said.
Their week together solidified their feelings for one another as they uncovered more about their shared values and life ambitions.
At first, the long distance seemed daunting; Mia was in Florida while Tayler lived across the country, in Utah.
“He didn’t want to do long distance,” Tayler said. However, once they matched, the distance felt insignificant. “We just ended up making it work.”
Their relationship blossomed quickly after that initial CPAC meeting. Tayler flew to Florida to meet Mia’s family, and she later visited him in Utah—where she decided to stay permanently.
Mia and Tayler’s relationship moved swiftly from there. On a sunrise hike at Big Cottonwood Canyon, Tayler proposed with a photographer capturing the moment—a memory they will cherish forever. “It was beautiful,” Mia recalls.
In an extraordinary twist of fate, they were baptized on the same day they got engaged. Their wedding was held at their local church in Utah—a small gathering of about 50 close friends and family members.
“We didn’t see the point of having a giant extravagant wedding; we agreed that the most important thing was to be married under God,” Tayler explains.
For those hesitant about online dating, Mia and Tayler offer encouragement.
“It can work,” Tayler said. “The Right Stuff feels different because the whole intention of the app is for people who want to talk about politics, their passions, and who have aligned values.”
Mia adds: “Instead of considering modern dating advancements as degenerate behavior, consider it an opportunity. I wouldn’t have ever met Tayler if it wasn’t for dating apps.”
Yet McEntee wants his target user base to understand that Date Right isn’t just an app; it’s a movement – one that is geared toward cultivating community among young people. Mia and Tayler’s story is just one example of how finding true love and shared values in a digitally charged era is more than possible.
From their first match to their wedding day, Mia and Tayler’s journey took just 99 days – a testament to the power of aligned values and genuine connection. Their story, along with many others, proves that Date Right is more than just a dating app – it’s a platform for conservatives to build meaningful relationships and potentially find their lifelong partners.
The couple champions Date Right for online dating among conservatives, with friends and online, where each has growing follower bases. They believe that Date Right allows users to sort through potential partners who align with their values—something that traditional apps often fail to provide.
“We are grateful to John for putting together this app,” Tayler said. “It’s been life-changing.”
As they embark on this new chapter of their lives together, Mia and Tayler are excited about what lies ahead—building a life rooted in faith, love, and conservative principles.
For conservative singles tired of navigating the liberal-leaning waters of mainstream dating apps, Date Right offers a promising alternative.