We would like to extend a warm thank you to all of you for your support throughout the last four months. We are honored to serve as the newly elected Chair and Vice-Chair of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans.

Throughout our campaign, the enthusiasm we saw from College Republican members throughout the state was nothing short of inspiring. While our federation faces many challenges over the next year, we feel very confident about the direction of our organization. Many chapters are starting to see increased interest as President Obama, Governor Culver, and legislative Democrats continue to pursue policies which will devastate our state and our country in the months and years to come.

We are excited to get moving with the policy objectives we’ve set forth, and look forward to working with College Republican chapters, our state legislators, and the Republican Party of Iowa as we continue to advance the Republican cause on college campuses throughout the state. Working together, we can establish one of the premier grassroots networks in the nation.

With our newly elected board, we plan to take IFCR to new heights, and with your help, we believe we can make it happen. Stay involved, keep your heads high, and keep fighting the good fight! Thank you again for your support; it has inspired us and we will take that enthusiasm with us moving forward.

Sincerely,
Dane Nealson
Chairman, Iowa Federation of College Republicans
Matt Sexton
Vice-Chairman, Iowa Federation of College Republicans

Yet after current Iowa Federation of College Republicans Chairman Greg Baker brought the packed house down with uproarious applause following his passionate, energetic speech, Speaker Murphy ordered that the chambers be cleared, forcing the hundreds of angry Iowans to leave the house that they paid for because they disagree with the union-driven opinion of the majority party.  For an “open” forum, it sure seems to me like Mr. Murphy was far more concerned with protecting his agenda than letting the voices of real citizens be heard.

It appears the bill will go to vote on Thursday; whether it will pass or not is anyone’s guess.  I encourage EVERY College Republican in the state of Iowa to email and call their legislators in the Iowa House and insist that they vote NO on HF 807.  But to all those who made their voices heard on Tuesday night:  Do not be discouraged; though Pat Murphy and his allies tried to stifle the Democratic process and silence the voice of the Iowans who elected them, our voices have been heard loud and clear.  The media has picked up on it, and we are being heard.  Be proud, and continue to make your opinion known!

Until next time,

Dane

This past weekend, ISU Co-Chair Paul Vidmar, Matt Sexton and I attended the free Iowa Barnstormers arena football scrimmage in Des Moines.  While we were there, we chatted with RPI Chairman/Barnstormer Co-owner Matt Strawn and former College Republican and current Account Executive for the Barnstormers, Grant Young, about lining up tickets for a potential College Republican Day at the Barnstormers.  The date Matt and I decided we would choose for such a day is Saturday, April 25, when the Barnstormers face the Quad City Steamwheelers.  If we are elected on April 4, we will be immediately contacting chapters to get headcounts for the day, which will include a few hours of tailgating before the game, as well as some good seats for the game.  The tickets will be just $16 for each member.

It is activities like this that will help bring CR’s from around the state closer together, by allowing them to network with other CR’s while at the same kicking back and enjoying a day of fun without having to worry about the finer workings of the political world for a day.

Another fun idea that has been discussed is a way to make chapter chair training more fun this summer.  In the past, it has been a struggle to convince chapter chairs to take time out of their summer schedule to attend such training sessions.  One idea our leadership team favors is holding our chapter chair training on a camping trip at Saylorville.  What better opportunity to get to know your state executive board and fellow chapter chairs than by a weekend of cook outs, swimming, and campfires?  We can discuss business while at the same time spending crucial time getting to know our fellow leaders from around the state.  These bonds will only further help communication between chapters, which is critical as we continue to grow our College Republican network around the state.

Now is the time to start focusing on specific goals.  As your IFCR Chair and Co-Chair, Matt and I will start working from the day we are elected into the summer and beyond to plan events that will prove both educational and entertaining for College Republicans around the state.  With ideas such as the ones discussed above, we feel we have a chance to strengthen relations among College Republicans from all across the state.  We hope for your support on April 4.

Sincerely,

Dane Nealson, IFCR Chair Candidate

Matt Sexton, IFCR Co-Chair Candidate

Our initial target areas for the program include suburban Des Moines, in areas such as Ankeny, Johnston and Urbandale, and in high schools in western Iowa.  The benefit of the program in the west is clear:  with very few colleges in the west side of the state, a few established high school programs will go a long way in campaigning in races in 2010.  Additionally through representatives and central committee members, we’ve seen interest in the program in areas such as Ottumwa, Davenport, and Crawford county.

If Matt and I are elected, it is my goal to end the 2008-2009 school year with at least five chapters started in the regions listed above.  We will focus primarily on upper classmen to start with; seniors who will be going to college in the fall, and juniors who will be in prime position to lead their groups at the high school next year.  If we are able to find early success with those initial chapters, we will then look to expand the program into other schools as well, in hopes that we can have a solid program established by the time 2010 rolls around.

Getting these high school programs running will be one of the top priorities of the Nealson-Sexton administration.  The more students coming out of high school already active in politics and aware of the College Republicans organization, the better for the long term success of IFCR as a whole.  Corey, Matt and I are committed to making this program work.  With your support, we will make it happen.

As I’ve previously stated, one major goal for my administration, should I be elected, is to build up a high school program in which we can identify potential CR’s before they’re in college.  When these students enter college, they’ll already be aware of the organization and we will be able to recruit them to be members easier due to our previous contact.  For those high schools with which we are able to establish chapters, they will be able to step up and provide further grassroots support in 2010′s midterm elections.

Because this will be a heavy task, if I am elected, I will propose the creation of a new appointed position to oversee the high school program.  While I, my running mate Matt Sexton and prospective Executive Director Appointee Corey Becker will still be heavily involved with this task, the newly created High School Liaison’s chief responsibility would be to be in contact with schools in which we are able to establish chapters, as well as to ensure those chapters are getting the resources they need from IFCR.  This position would provide relief to the chair, who already has the responsibility over overseeing 15-20 active CR chapters around the state.  It will be especially convenient for high schools we may approach who don’t have a CR chapter nearby.  The Liaison would be responsible not only for communicating with high school chapters, but working with the National Teen Age Republicans (TARS) organization to provide additional resources for these chapters.

Another benefit of this position is that it is an opportunity to deepen our bench as an organization, giving more state-wide experience to younger College Republican members who could potentially run for higher offices as they continue through the ranks of the organization.  There has been a leadership deficit in our party, especially at the youth level, in recent years.  I am committed to ensuring that this is a problem that is remedied during my term as chairman, should I be elected, and this position is a great training ground for future leaders.

As our campaign slogan suggests, I, along with Mr. Sexton and Mr. Becker, are committed to building a foundation for the future.  Recruiting new students before they reach college and creating this new leadership role are two ways to ensure long-term health of our organization.  It is my hope that you will support the Nealson-Sexton ticket for Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans at our state convention in Ames on April 4.

Have a great week!

Dane Nealson

As I was recruiting new College Republican members last night at ISU’s activity fair and discussing Republican politics with other students, it occurred to me that despite our losses in November and the general doom-and-gloom outlook for our party by many, it really is a great time to be a College Republican.  It seems that many expect 2009 to be a rough year for our organization, but I would make an argument that this is not going to be the case.

First off, Republicans are in charge of absolutely nothing right now for us.  At the national level, we have a Democrat as our president and Democrats have huge margins in the House and Senate.  Congress has been Democratic since 2006.  Iowa is much of the same; we have a Democrat as our governor, Democrats control our House and Senate as well, also by large margins.  At this point, Democrats can no longer point fingers and blame Republicans for their lack of results.  Disasters caused by their policies are no longer our responsiblity.  If they fail, they have nobody to blame but themselves.

This presents a great opportunity for College Republicans.  For the last eight years, we’ve had to play on the defense, defending charges made against Republicans at every level.  Now the shoe is on the other foot; we will be able to put the Democratic leadership in that same bright spotlight.  At a national level, we can talk about how after complaining during the campaign about our one trillion dollar deficit, President Obama plans to double that national deficit in his first month.  At the state level, we can talk about how governor Culver is planning to get $700 million in bonds and drive our state over one billion dollars in debt, and how he thinks he’ll pay it off with a revenue source that brings in about $50 million a year.  And talk about how Mr. Culver wants Iowa to become the first state ever to make the short-sighted move of selling the lottery for a quick chunk of change so that he can come a little closer to balancing the budget so he can get re-elected.  And talk about how within a couple years, big labor unions will own the state.

In addition to all this, I think the outcome of the elections will motivate people to get involved.  I think there are students out there who feel they could have done more leading up to the election; they will realize the importance of getting involved and will begin attending meetings.  I saw it last night among our new recruits at ISU, the interest of stepping up and helping the group continue forward.  I think a lot of people are irritated with the outcome and will use that energy as motivation to make sure we are ready in 2010 to get back the seats we’ve lost in the last two election cycles.

Despite everything, I think it is a great time to be Republican.  I hope you agree!

Dane

I was thinking as I drove back to school after a relaxing weekend about possible reasons for college students supporting Republicans less and less over the past couple election cycles.  There has been a lot of discussion about the Republican party not focusing enough on the issues that are relevant to college students, and not framing the conservative approach to key issues in terms of how it affects students.  These are certainly two key parts, but how do we start to try to remedy this situation?

One idea I came up with is a simple one.  Beyond the issues mentioned above, I think there is a general disconnect between those serving in the capitol and the students on Iowa’s campuses.  Sure, individual CR chapters may have good relationships with their officials, but it’s not a stretch to say that the general college student probably doesn’t pay a whole lot of attention to the issues in Des Moines which, in reality, affect them more than those issues at a national level.

It is for this reason that I am making a call to action of sorts to our elected Republican state officials who have colleges within their district to send their weekly legislative updates to student newspapers on their respective campuses.  This is an excellent way to deliver timely news to the student audience for free, with specific focus on issues which effect all Iowans.  With so many of our youth getting involved with politics these days, this serves as a great way to educate students on the damage that Governor Culver and his Democratic allies in the House and Senate are doing to our fine state.  It tightens the bond between the students and their elected legislators as well.

As a current clerk for Senator Shawn Hamerlinck in the Iowa State Senate, I see many legislators on a daily basis and will be addressing them over the next few weeks concerning my ideas.  It is my hope that through this medium of communication, we can not only inform students of what’s going on in Des Moines, but instill in them a passion for the principles of conservatism and illustrate the dangers of liberalism dominating government at any level.

While a letter to the editor by a regular student can easily be omitted from being published by a student newspaper, it is a little more difficult to reject a letter from their state representative, whether they agree with them philosophically or not.  It is the civic duty of student newspapers to publish letters by their state representatives and senators; this can go a long way toward bridging the gap between Des Moines and the typical classroom.

Until next time,

Dane

Today, the Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee elected their new chair; six very qualified candidates ran for the seat but in the end, Matt Strawn was elected.  Strawn is an excellent choice.  He has stated the importance of CR’s and should be a great ally as we work to gain more influence on our college campuses.  He’s also experienced in technology (he has facebook, youtube and a twitter account), and understands the importance of using these mediums of communication in elections going forward.  His fundraising experience will also be a huge asset.  Additionally, he is well spoken and will be able to deliver a clear, consistent message as the face of our party, working with our house and senate leaders. My personal congratulations to Mr. Strawn on his election, Matt and I are both looking forward to working with him if we are elected.

Have a great weekend!

Dane Nealson

Hopefully you all had a great weekend.  On Saturday, current IFCR Chairman Greg Baker, 2nd District Coordinator John Anderson, and I attended the Republican Party of Iowa chair candidate forum in Des Moines at RPI Headquarters.  It was a great opportunity to share ideas and hear from the six candidates vying for the position.  I was very pleased that RPI organized this forum to allow the public to get a look at the potential leaders of our state party.  This is an important election as the next chair will determine, to a large degree, the direction of our state party heading into the 2010 elections.

I will not be making an endorsement in this race; I felt that all six candidates in attendance were qualified to lead.  Regardless of the winner of the RPI Chair race, it will be important for our party to unite behind the next Chairman.  This will include building a strong relationship between College Republicans and the next RPI leader, much like Greg was able to do with Stew Iverson this year.

I was pleased to hear many candidates mention two key issues relating to our federation; College Republicans and the youth vote were frequently mentioned by most of the candidates, and most also seemed to recognize the importance of technology in elections heading forward.

I also had conversations with several of our State Central Committee members after the forum and was heartened by their enthusiasm toward our organization.  Several offered to be of assistance in their respective districts.  In a  year which will be tough to recruit new members after the losses in 2006 and 2008, making students feel involved with the process will be an important way to keep members interested and engaged.  Building these relationships between our State Central Committee members and College Republican chapters in their districts could be very beneficial to IFCR as a whole.

The election for RPI Chairman will be this Saturday.  I will write more on the results after they are known.  Have a great week!