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College Republicans 1

College Republicans

College Republicans

National Chairman Zach Howell

National Co-Chairman Terence Grado

Treasurer Brand Kroeger

Secretary Chandler Harris

Founded 1892

Headquarters Washington, D.C.

Mother party Republican Party

Website www.crnc.org [1]

The College Republicans is a national organization for college and university students who support the Republican

Party of the United States.[2]

The organization is known as an active recruiting tool for the Republican Party and has

produced many prominent Republican and conservative activists and introduced more party members to the

Republican party than any other organization in the nation.[3]

The organizational structure of the College Republicans has changed significantly since its founding in 1892.

Originally founded as an organization for the Republican National Committee and later the Young Republican

National Federation, the College Republicans now operate as an independent 527 group.

Governance

College Republican National Committee

The College Republican National Committee (CRNC), is the national steering organization and oversight body for

all 50 state federations, 1,500 campus chapters, and 250,000 College Republicans in the country.[4]

 [5]

The CRNC

National Chairman and his or her national leadership team, including an executive director, political director, finance

director, national field director, national treasurer, national secretary, and 4 regional vice-presidents, are elected at

the bi-annual College Republican Convention and are assisted by a full-time office staff.[5]

State federations

There are 51 College Republican state federations, each administering the College Republican activities at the state

level and the District of Columbia. The state federation leadership team, which includes a state chairperson and other

officers, serve as the primary link between local university chapters and the national College Republican National

Committee.[4]

The state chairman serves as the representative for College Republicans when dealing with the state

Republican Party, local media, and governmental entities. State federations are responsible for organizing andassisting local chapters with securing proper credentials, recruitment efforts, and campus voter canvasses.

[4]It is a

state federation's responsibility to organize and implement activities for state-wide campaigns.[4]

Like the national

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College Republicans 2

organization, state federations operate as non-profit associations that are not legally affiliated with the Republican

Party.[4]

Campus chapters

A campus chapter meeting at Ohio State University.

The college and university-based chapters of the College

Republicans operate in a dual capacity as student clubs associatedwith a particular campus and as members of their state federation

and the College Republican National Committee.[4]

Like the state

federations and national committee, the campus chapters are

affiliated with their local Republican Party, but are not official

arms of that organization.[4]

The chapter chairperson and

leadership team are responsible for maintaining the campus club's

credentials and constitution, and representing the College

Republicans when dealing with university administration, other

student groups, and in the surrounding community.[4]

The campus

chapter leadership team might include many members, with

administrative responsibilities delegated to dormitory and Greek chapter chairpersons.[4]

Notable CRs

Notable College Republicans have included prominent Republican strategist Lee Atwater, Americans for Tax

Reform President Grover Norquist, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, North Carolina

Congressman Patrick McHenry, conservative activist Morton Blackwell, disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, former

Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, McCain Campaign Manager Rick Davis, lobbyist and McCain advisor Charles R.

Black, Jr., Texas Republican Party Chairman Emeritus Tom Pauken, Christian Coalition executive director and

political consultant Ralph E. Reed, Jr., New York political consultant Roger Stone and political consultant JoshuaWorkman. California Republican State Chairman Ron Nehring was President of the College Republicans at Boston

University. Former First Lady and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was elected president of her College

Republican chapter at Wellesley College in her freshman year before switching parties due to the war in Vietnam.

President Calvin Coolidge is the only College Republican ever to be elected President of the United States. Karl

Rove, a Senior Bush Advisor and currently a contributor on Fox News Channel is probably one of the most famous

College Republican leaders, having served as executive director, and then national chairman, of the CRNC during

his time in the organization.[6]

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Activities

Recruiting new members at The Ohio State University.

The CRNC organizes election-year field representative

programs to send paid staffers to recruit and train

students and chapters nationwide. Former national

chair Jack Abramoff founded the field representative

program in 1981.[3] The program faltered during the

1980s and was revived during the late 1990s.

During the election season, campus chapters are

responsible for organizing and implementing the

campus canvas, running mock elections, managing the

local get-out-the-vote efforts. At other times, the

campus chapters will organize issue advocacy and

lobbying efforts, welcome conservative guest speakers

to campus, and organize social events and other recruitment activities.

During the election season, the CRNC focuses on developing a "mass based youth effort" directed toward electing

Republican candidates.[3]

The CRNC often sends paid field representatives to individual campuses to assist in

organizing the election efforts. Generally the hired field representative or chapter chair begins the school year with

membership tables on campus for recruitment. Members use door-to-door canvassing and word of mouth to identify

and register as many Republican voters among the student body as possible.[3]

These individuals are encouraged to

vote through an absentee ballot and assist the candidates with election day Get Out The Vote efforts. Chapters

occasionally run student mock elections and other special events as a means to gain positive earned media attention

for a candidate.[3]

At other times, the campus chapters will organize issue advocacy and lobbying efforts, welcome

conservative guest speakers to campus, and organize social events and other recruitment activities.[4]

History

Founding and early history

"There is no such school for political education as the college and university. What is inculcated here penetrates every corner of the

country where the college man goes. He goes everywhere and where he goes he is a mighty force in making and molding public

sentiment."

William McKinley at the founding of the American Republican College League in 1892.[3]

The College Republicans were founded as the American Republican College League on May 17, 1892 at the

University of Michigan.[3]

The organization was spear-headed by law student James Francis Burke, who would later

serve as a Congressman from Pennsylvania.[3] The inaugural meeting was attended by over 1,000 students fromacross the county, from Stanford University in the west to Harvard University in the east. Contemporary politicians

also attended the meeting, including Judge John M. Thurston, Senator Russell A. Alger, Congressman J. Sloat

Fassett, Congressman W. E. Mason, John M. Langston, and Abraham Lincoln's successor in the Illinois State

Legislature, A. J. Lester. Then-Governor of Ohio William McKinley gave a rousing keynote speech.[3]

The College Republicans quickly pursued a strategy of sending college students to vote in their home districts and

registering others to vote where they schooled to swing closely-contested districts.[3]

This strategy was successfully

implemented for the 1900 presidential election between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan, helping

win Bryan's home state of Nebraska for McKinley.[3]

The College Republicans were financed, at least in part, by the Republican National Committee throughout much of 

its history. James Francis Burke received significant funding from the RNC to support the American Republican

College League's founding and to maintain the organization's early offices in New York and Chicago.[3]

By 1924, the

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organization was operating directly under the auspices of the RNC as the Associated University Republican Clubs.[3]

The relative dominance of the Democratic party through the 1930s through the 1960s coincided with a precipitous

drop in the membership and effectiveness of the College Republicans.[3]

In 1931, the College Republicans were

absorbed as an arm of the Hoover campaign.[7]

For the next several years the organization operated alternately under

the auspices of the "Republican National League," "Young Republican National Committee," and the "Division of 

Young Republican Activities."

[7]

In 1935, the College Republicans were merged into the newly created YoungRepublican National Federation, encompassing both college students and young professionals.

[7]College Republican

operations continued under the Young Republicans until the 1965 founding of the "College Republican National

Committee."[7]

Modern history

In 1967, Morton Blackwell, then a field representative for the CRNC to Kentucky, developed many of the principles

now used by the College Republicans. As the college organizer supporting Louie Nunn's campaign for Governor of 

Kentucky, Blackwell organized approximately 5,000 college student volunteers who dropped 93,000 pieces of 

literature, posted 20,000 flyers, mailed 15,000 hand-addressed and signed postcards to friends of known student

supporters of Nunn, and processed over 8,000 absentee ballots.[3] On election day, Nunn became the first Republican

Governor of Kentucky in 20 years. The New York Times and Louie Nunn himself credited the efforts of Blackwell's

volunteers.

In 1970, the Young Republican National Federation was permanently spun off from the College Republicans in 1970

to prevent counter-productive infighting among the two groups.[3]

In 1972 the Republican National Committee made

the College Republican National Committee an auxiliary arm of the RNC.[3]

In 1973, Karl Rove ran for chair of the College Republicans. He challenged the front-runnerÄs delegates, throwing

the national convention into disarray, after which both he and his opponent, Robert Edgeworth, claimed victory. The

dispute was resolved when Rove was selected through the direct order of the chairman of the Republican National

Committee, who at the time was George H W Bush.[8]

"College Republicans are a vital force in conservative politics. You are the vanguard of the Republican Party. I know that the

strength of young people's support for our Party will ensure the continued success of Republican goals as you begin to assume

leadership roles in the Party and in our Nation."

Ronald Reagan to the College Republican National Committee, June 2, 1987[3]

By 1980, only 20 active College Republican chapters remained. By the US Presidential election in 1980, that number

had increased to 1,000 active clubs, helping Reagan win 98 of 105 mock elections and recruiting thousands of voters.

This success led to $290,000 in financial assistance from the RNC, mainly to implement Jack Abramoff's field

representative program.[3]

Abramoff's fund-raising efforts brought in an additional $1,160,000 during the next two

years. By 1983, only 10% of the CRNC's budget came from the RNC.[3]

Prompted by the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the CRNC officially left the control of the RNC by

reforming as a 527 group, allowing it to operate independently and raise unlimited amount of money for

issue-advocacy work. As a 527 group, the organization is prohibited from coordinating directly with a particular

campaign and its recent focus has turned towards developing volunteers and other support activities rather than

outright campaigning. The shift has allowed the CRNC to vastly expand its fundraising efforts. During its first two

years, the CRNC raised $17.3 million, most going to pay fundraising costs and other administrative costs, while

leaving more than $2 million to expand the field representative program and to improve pay for the full-time

positions.[9]

The CRNC was criticized for its relationship with Response Dynamics, a Virginia-based direct mail company.[10]

The relationship became an issue during the 2005 election for National Chairman, which was won by former CRNCTreasurer, Paul Gourley, whose signature was on the questionable fundraising letters.

[11]

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College Republicans 5

Morgan Wilkins, a CRNC field representative for election 2006 was placed on probation by the CRNC after

suggesting several controversial events might be held on the University of Michigan -- Ann Arbor Campus, to that

school's student newspaper, the  Michigan Daily. The events included, "Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day" and "Fun

with Guns Day," where students were to shoot cardboard cutouts of  prominent Democrats.[12]

This incident

ultimately became a major news story on several national media outlets.[13]

 [14]

Several sources, including the

 Michigan Daily incorrectly identified Ms. Wilkins as an employee of the Republican National Committee, rather

than the CRNC, eliciting an outcry from Democratic National Committee Chairman, Howard Dean.[15]

In return,

GOP Chairman Ken Mehlman condemned Wilkins' activities, as well as Governor Dean.[16]

Keith Olbermann

named Wilkins his "Worst Person in the World."[17]

She was suspended for the incident, and later fired by the CRNC

for later creating a Facebook group in which she promised to make out with individuals who signed up volunteers for

get out the vote efforts.[18]

Gallery

A campus chapter meeting at

George Fox University

College Republicans from

University of North Florida rally

for John McCain in

Jacksonville, Florida

College Republicans from University of 

Illinois at Springfield with former White

House Press Secretary Tony Snow at CPAC

2008 in Washington, D.C.

References[1] http://www. crnc. org

[2] Schor, Elana (2005-07-06). "With College Republicans, Keg Parties Are Smart Strategy" (http://www. webcitation. org/5aihZcPFv).

msnbc.com. Archived from the original (http://thehill. com/old-capital-living/ 

with-college-republicans-keg-parties-are-smart-strategy-2005-07-06. html) on 2008-09-09. . Retrieved 2008-09-09.

[3] Stewart, Scott (2002-06-24). The College Republicans Ä  A Brief History (http://web.  archive. org/web/20050702072121/http://www.

crnc. org/admin/editpage/downloads/CRNChistory. pdf). College Republican National Committee. . Retrieved 2008-09-04.

[4] Stewart, Scott (Fall 2002). College Republicans Chapter Manual (http://web.archive.  org/web/20040613020411/www. crnc. org/ 

resources/chapter_manual.pdf). College Republican National Committee. . Retrieved 2008-09-27.

[5] "The CRNC Team" (http://www. crnc. org/team. php). College Republican National Committee. . Retrieved 2008-09-19.

[6] Dedman, Bill (2007-05-09). "Reading Hillary Clinton's hidden thesis" (http://web. archive.org/web/20070304065006/http://www.

msnbc. msn.com/id/17388372/). msnbc.com. Archived from the original (http://www.msnbc. msn.  com/id/17388372/) on 2007-03-04. .

Retrieved 2008-04-16.

[7] Stewart, Scott (2002-06-24). "The National Chairmen of the College Republicans" (http://web.archive.  org/web/20030316084456/www.

crnc. org/resources/CRNCchairmen.pdf) (PDF). College Republican National Committee. Archived from the original (http://www. crnc.

org/resources/CRNCchairmen.pdf) on 2003-03-16. . Retrieved 2008-09-19.

[8] Goodman, Amy (2007-08-14). "RoveÄs Science of Dirty Tricks" (http://web.  archive. org/web/20071017021158/http://www.truthdig.

com/report/item/20070814_roves_science_of_dirty_tricks/). Truthdig. Archived from the original (http://www.  truthdig. com/report/item/ 

20070814_roves_science_of_dirty_tricks/) on 2007-10-17. . Retrieved 2008-09-03.

[9] Edsall, Thomas (2005-06-23). "Money Raises the Stakes For College Republicans" (http://www.webcitation. org/5axU72iHs). Washington

Post. Archived from the original (http://www.washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/22/AR2005062202060_pf. html) on

2008-09-19. . Retrieved 2008-09-19.

[10] O'Donnell, Meghan (2003-09-25). "Young Money: College Republicans show how to play the fund-raising game" (http://projects.

publicintegrity. org/527/report.aspx?aid=10). Center for Public Integrity. . Retrieved 2008-09-19.

[11] Brunner, Jim (2004-11-29). "Some College Republicans regret donors were "misled"" (http://web. 

archive.org/web/20041122035749/ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002096448_republicans20m. html). The Seattle Times. Archived from the original

(http://seattletimes. nwsource. com/html/localnews/2002096448_republicans20m. html) on 2004-11-22. . Retrieved 2008-04-16.

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College Republicans 6

[12] Grossman, Andrew (2006-09-12). "College Dems, Republicans gear up for election season" (http://web.archive.  org/web/ 

20080123215653/http://media.www. michigandaily. com/media/storage/paper851/news/2006/09/12/CampusLife/College. Dems.

Republicans. Gear. Up. For. Election.Season-2267212. shtml). Michigan Daily. Archived from the original (http://www.  michigandaily.

com/content/college-dems-republicans-gear-election-season) on 2008-01-23. . Retrieved 2008-04-16.

[13] "Dems Blast 'Catch an Illegal Immigrant' Campaign on College Campus" (http://web.  archive.org/web/20061209194541/http://www.

foxnews.com/story/0,2933,213406,00. html). FOXNews.com. 2006-09-12. Archived from the original (http://www. foxnews.com/story/ 

0,2933,213406,00. html) on 2006-12-09. . Retrieved 2008-09-19.

[14] Domsic, Melissa (2006-11-01). "'Catch an immigrant' game fires up debate on campuses" (http://www.  webcitation. org/5ay6XLlX1).

CNN.com. Archived from the original (http://www.cnn.  com/2006/POLITICS/10/23/CNNU.msu. immigrant/index.

html?iref=newssearch) on 2008-09-19. . Retrieved 2008-09-19.

[15] Democratic National Committee (2006-09-12). "Governor Dean Writes a Letter" (http://web.  archive. org/web/20071211042424/http:// 

www. democrats. org/a/2006/09/governor_dean_w. php). Press release. Archived from the original (http://www.democrats. org/a/2006/ 

09/governor_dean_w. php) on 2007-12-11. . Retrieved 2008-04-16.

[16] Republican National Chairman (2006-09-12). "RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman Responds To DNC Chairman Howard DeanÄs Letter" (http:// 

web. archive. org/web/20061129155646/http://www.gop.com/News/Read. aspx?ID=6557). Press release. Archived from the original

(http://www.  gop.  com/News/Read.aspx?ID=6557) on 2006-11-29. . Retrieved 2008-04-16.

[17] Olbermann, Keith (2006-09-14). "World's Worst:Fun with Guns?" (http://video. msn.  com/video. aspx?mkt=en-US&brand=msnbc&

vid=012f9b2e-4d22-46f9-89a3-c32bf18da21d). msnbc.com. . Retrieved 2008-04-16.

[18] Grossman, Andrew (2006-09-25). "Confessions of a Young Conservative" (http://www.  michigandaily. com/content/ 

confessions-young-conservative). The Michigan Daily. . Retrieved 2008-04-16.

External links

Ä College Republican National Committee (http://www. crnc.org/) - official website

Ä College Republican National Committee's IRS Filing Forms (http://forms. irs. gov/politicalOrgsSearch/search/ 

gotoSearchDrillDown. action?pacId='7343'&criteriaName='College+Republican+National+Committee,+Inc. ')

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Article Sources and Contributors 7

Article Sources and ContributorsCollege Republicans ÅSource: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=406887442 ÅContributors: 2Snazzy, Abenton, AlexiusHoratius, AmeriCan, Apterygial, Bcspro, BlackberryHacks,

Blue387, Bonewah, Bwilkins, Caltas, Catapult, Cdogsimmons, C hoster, Collegerepublicans, Common Man, Complexi, Csmith87, Dadude3320, Dhadsb, Disavian, Doulos Christos, Download,

Dreid1987, Dudeman5685, Eloil, Emerybob, Erianna, Eshatologist, Etherice, Everyking, FCYTravis, Freakofnurture, FutureNJGov, GoingBatty, Green caterpillar, Gscshoyru, Happyme22,

Impmope, Inks.LWC, Itssweeney, JavierMC, JayJasper, Jcmiller, Jeff G., Jeick, Jeremydhagen, Jersyko, Jgkantor, Jiang, John Broughton, Jreferee, Kane5187, Keilana, Kiteinthewind,

LadyMontresor, Liface, Lightmouse, Master Jay, Meelar, Minesweeper, Minion of Gozer, Mjwhite3, NCurse, Nelliebellie, Neutrality, Nfutvol, Nihiltres, Nywalton, Ovid5188, Pacificus, Paladin

R.T., Propol, RedShiftPA, Rhobite, Rjwilmsi, Schneiderwm, Seawolf81st, SevernSevern, SiobhanHansa, SpaceFlight89, Stillnotelf, SueNaustin, That Guy, From That Show!, Thomastedder, Tim

Long, Toussaint, Trikker E, Vayne1, Virginia Bell, Walton One, Wiki Master 1776, Wisconsincheddar1985, XeroxKleenex, Zacharyleahan, 189 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsImage:CRNC logo.jpg ÅSource: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:CRNC_logo.jpg Å License: unknown ÅContributors: Jeick 

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