|
College Republican National CommitteeMuch More Than You Think
For a movement so major, it is unfortunate how many are unaware how significant of an organization the College Republicans is - especially at the national level. There is no organization that has a history, a record of achievement, a national (and beyond, at times) influence, and a level of resources and capabilities as the College Republican National Committee (CRNC). The national College Republicans organization is very unique - different from its counterparts on the Democrat side, and different even from other organizations on the conservative/GOP side. Unlike the national College Democrats organization (CDA), the College Republican National Committee (CRNC) is separate from any political party; since 2001, it has been a "527" group. In fact, of all the federally-focused "527" organizations, the CRNC is one of the most well-funded - It is currently ranked #7 in the United States (this is towards the 2010 tracking period). Last year (2008), the CRNC was ranked #7 in the country (of all federal 527 organizations), with a budget of over $6.9 million. If the liberal/pro-Democrat 527s are excluded (5 of the top 7 are), the CRNC was the 2nd-most funded federal organization in the United States. (It should be noted that the national Young Republicans organization - YRNF - is also a federal 527 group, but was not in the top 50 for the 2008 cycle; the national Young Democrats organization was, but far below the CRNC. The CRNC's receipts were more than triple that of the 527 for our country's largest labor union [the NEA], and even double that of AFSCME's.) www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtes.php?level=C&cycle=2008 The CRNC uses its budget to support important activism projects, throughout the United States. The most-notable and unique function of the CRNC is its famous Field Program, which impacts the elections of candidates for federal and statewide offices, as well as the promotion of conservative causes and policy perspectives, and the development of state CR federations and their individual CR chapters, at colleges and universities throughout the country. This was very-evidently seen just earlier this week, when the CRNC recruited hundreds of volunteers from across America, to assist with the bellwether (November 2009) elections in VIRGINIA and NEW JERSEY. These elections were viewed as key, with respect to the Obama presidency, and also insofar as momentum that would undoubtedly impact the 2010 federal and state-level elections, throughout the country. 
Virginia Governor-Elect Bob McDonnell specifically mentioned the College Republicans, in his Victory Night speech, for their involvement in this vital, nationally-watched election. The CRNC coordinated multi-day volunteer efforts, during the crucial ("GOTV") period, for Election 2009, for the GOP nominees for Governor, Lt. Governor, & Attorney General of Virginia, and also phone-banked for New Jersey Governor nominee Chris Christie, in the other nationally-watched major election this fall. From the official
CRNC Blog: || Republican Revolution: The Sequel
|| Virginia Post-Election Update
|| New Jersey Post-Election Update
||
| RCP: VA Gov.-Elect McDonnell Gives Victory Speech | Internal PoliticsSince the College Republican National Committee is such a major organization, the election of leadership positions within the CRNC is a great deal more significant, consequential, complicated, and contentious than most people realize. We are not dealing with a student-government election here - As managing one of America's top 527 groups is a full-time job (which creates full-time jobs as well, as the CRNC staffs scores of employees each year), most of the national CRNC executive officers are no longer currently-enrolled students (but recent college graduates). The National CRNC Executive Board offices are paid positions, with the National Chairman earning having held a salary of $75,000 a year, plus benefits. [Update (11/25/09): Apparently, the new CRNC administration, which assumed office this past summer (June 2009), has implemented reforms, which include reductions to their compensation packages. In fact, at the National Board Meeting this past weekend, a constitutional amendment was adopted, permanently restricting compensation levels, for CRNC elected officers.] 
The CRNC holds its Biennial Convention in the summer of every
odd-numbered year. The last time there was a national CRNC
leadership contested election at the Convention (2005), the
candidate who lost raised and
spent over $200,000
on his CRNC campaign. He travelled to more than 40
states, and was endorsed by prominent elected officials throughout the
country, including:
The other candidate had fewer big-name endorsements, but they were nonetheless very influential, including U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), U.S. Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) [who was the youngest member of Congress, until my Congressman was elected, a year ago], and conservative movement leader Morton Blackwell, who heads the Leadership Institute (which works closely with the CRNC). A couple of prominent supporters of aforesaid CRNC candidate went a step further than only endorsing him, by controversially also contacting Delegates to the Convention, allegedly pressuring them to vote for their choice for National Chairman. The 2005 CRNC Convention was so contentious and controversial, it ended up making the Cover Story of The New Republic magazine: "Swimming with Sharks" [PDF].  It has been recognized, for many years, that the College Republicans (and specifically, the national CR politics), has catapulted into positions of influence many of the contemporary policy-makers and political leaders in our country. Examples of this include Karl Rove, Grover Norquist, Morton Blackwell, Ralph Reed, Lee Atwater, Bob Kjellander, Tony Zagotta, Amy Ridenour, and Bobby Jindal. It was through the CRNC, and its state affiliates, that so many of today's leaders acquired and enhanced their socio-political, election-based, issue advocacy, networking, and communication skills. Even the left-wing Texas Observer has stated: "Democrats have nothing that resembles that collegiate proving ground of the GOP," noting that several of the aforementioned prominent leaders "all got their starts as College Republicans, and they zoomed to the top strata of American politics." |
