College Republican National Committee

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College Republican National Committee Seal

The College Republican National Committee (CRNC) is the nation's oldest and largest youth political organization.

1 History
2 Political Activities
3 Leadership and Structure
4 State Organizations
5 See also
6 External link

[edit] History

The College Republicans was founded on May 17, 1892 at the University of Michigan by James Francis Burke. The organization was christened by Ohio Governor William McKinley with students from institutions as far away as Stanford University and Harvard University present. Today, the CRNC has over 200,000 members on over 1,775 campuses nationwide.

The College Republican National Committee became an independent 527 group in 2001.

[edit] Political Activities

The work of the College Republican National Committee is guided by three primary goals: to help elect Republicans; to support the President’s agenda; to prepare future leaders of the Party. The CRNC serves as the grassroots arm of the Republican Party.

The cornerstone of the CRNC’s work is its annual Field Program. Full-time, college-age Field Representatives are in charge of recruiting, registering, training, and mobilizing Republicans on college campuses to vote and volunteer in the upcoming election. The goal is to implement grassroots programs by sending these young political leaders into key districts to help build the Republican party and assist in electing Republicans at every level of government.

During the 2004 election, the College Republicans provided more than 120,000 volunteers to the reelection campaign of President George W. Bush.

After college, many college republicans have continued to serve the party in higher offices in Republican administrations. Karl Rove served as the Executive Director of the CRNC during the 1972 Presidential election and later served as the National Chairman of the CRNC.

[edit] Leadership and Structure

The College Republican National Committee leadership consists of the six elected national officers who serve as the CRNC Executive Board: Chairman, Co-Chairman, First Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. The Executive Board is elected at the CRNC's biennial national convention by delegates from each state in a process similar to the electoral college. A state is awarded delegates in proportion to the number of active chapters within the state and varying other factors. The CRNC National Board consists of the Executive Board officers and the state chairmen elected according to the policies and procedures of the individual state federations.

In June 2005, Paul Gourley was elected National Chairman of the CRNC at the 56th Biennal College Republican National Convention in Alexandria, Virginia. Gourley was previously elected Treasurer of the CRNC in 2003. Also elected to the CRNC Executive Board were Co-Chairman Jessica Beeson (Indiana); First Vice Chairman Nathaniel Harding (Oklahoma); Second Vice Chairman Britton Alexander (Georgia); Treasurer Thomas Robins (Utah); and Secretary Dan Schuberth (Maine).

[edit] State Organizations

The College Republican National Committee oversees the 51 state federations associated with the College Republicans (50 states and the District of Columbia). The chairman of each state federation is listed below: