CR Nation

A few weeks ago, Dennis Lennox (conservative student activist based in Michigan) announced his intentions to run for a vacated state house seat in Michigan. Today, I come to find out that Lennox’s bid is being challenged by JonBenet Ramsey’s father (that’s right, that JonBenet Ramsey).

Here is an excerpt for a blog post on that topic:

The race to replace Kevin Elsenheimer, who is giving up a shot at a third term and possible House minority leader job to run for a judgeship has attracted two “name” candidates.

First is John Ramsey, father of the famous JonBenet Ramsey. According to LSJ columnist Tim Skubick, GOP leaders are talking to Ramsey about running for the same seat he ran second in the race for in 2004.

On the other side is Dennis Lennox II, who is most famous for being the guy behind the anti-Gary Peters campaign at Central Michigan University. Lennox is, depending on who you listen to, either a nut with a video camera and too much time on his hands or a crusader for people sick of double-talking political candidates.

Best of luck to Dennis. He is going to need it.

The CRNC recently unveiled the first in a series of Facebook applications that are intended to further interconnect College Republicans in an innovative, user-friendly medium that they use on a regular basis. CRNC Facebook appliction 1.0 is a dual application which features (1) the latest in CRNC news by alerting you to the most up to date content on the CRNC blog, the CR Voice, and (2) the ability to let your voice be heard by casting a vote in an interactive poll.

The CRNC plans to unveil Facebook application 2.0 sometime in the near future with the goal of eventually linking Facebook profiles to activism in STORM.

Explaining the purpose of the application, CRNC Chairman Charlie Smith states:

The facebook widgets are another innovative way for College Republicans to both spread the conservative message to their friends and youth voters and to express their opinions through the online polls. Widgets are just one more small way to get the message we have out to people through a medium they use everyday.

Widgets have become a great way to spread a quick but impactful message to many people all at once, and by launching them for CR’s to spread around, it will be a little bit more successful everytime a CR puts it on their facebook profile.

To add the Facebook widget, click on the “edit applications” link in the top left of the screen. A new page should open which should allow you to search all currently existing Facebook applications. Type “CRNC” into the search text box and hit enter.

As I have said before, the more interconnected and better informed we all are, the more effective activists we become. The Facebook application is merely an additional and innovative way for us to be better informed so as to be better activists. Add the application today so that you can not only make a difference, but can make a bigger difference.

This past weekend several state federation held conventions. Georgia, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Florida all held successful conventions.

In Georgia, Ethan Eilon, exectutive director of the CRNC, writes:

GACR is expecting 80 people for tonights dinner and 100 for tomorrows business meeting. Speakers include State Party Chairman Sue Everhart, Lt Governer Casey Cagle, Ralph Reed (a CRNC Alum) and several others.

Esther [Clark] is unopposed in her second term as State Chairman. Her ticket includes Jesse Tyler (Vice-Chairman), and Michelle Timmins (Financial Secretary). Interestingly GACR has only 3 elected offices.

In Florida, Ethan reported that Aaron Scott, as was expected, was elected unanimously. Furthermore, during Florida’s convention…

there [was] a lengthy debate on a number of constitutional ammendments, including some changes to officer eligibility and the removal of National Committeeman as a an elected position and returning to an at will appointment.

If anyone who attended the Florida convention is reading this, please feel free to comment on the outcome of these constitutional amendments.

Update I: In Washington D.C., Brand Kroeger of George Washington University was elected chairman. Joining him in leading the D.C. Federation over the next year will be Dvan Gassman (Vice-Chair), Lauren Romero (Treasurer) and Allison Laurencello (Secretary). In addition to officer election, the members of the D.C. Federation also passed several consitutional amendment “cleaning up” their “outdated” constitution.

Update II: Charlie Smith (CRNC Chairman) tells me that his interview with the California News Service went well. Mr. Smith will be in New Mexico for a couple of days later this week to attend meetings with the RNC and then will be off to Wisconsin to attend the CR convention taking place there this weekend.

Update III: Bethany Dorobial, chairwoman of MN and a guest at the IA convention had this to report:

The Iowa Federation of College Republicans State Convention this weekend was great! I viewed the convention through the lens of a guest, and it was very clear that a lot of work was put into the convention to make it a success!

Chairman Ben Johnson kicked off the Convention Friday with an evening reception for socializing amongst Iowa College Republicans from across the state, atop the Holiday Inn Downtown Des Moines with a beautiful panaoramic view of the city.

Saturday morning, the delegates woke early to ratify their newly crafted Constitution, unanimously elected a new slate of statewide leadership lead by Chairman Greg Baker (Univ. of Iowa) and Co-Chair MacAllister Carver (Luther College), and heard from Iowan Republican candidates such as Steve Rathje (for US Senate) and officials from the Republican Party of Iowa, Iowans for Tax Relief (sponsor of the Convention), Iowans for McCain, and CRNC Co-Chair Blake Harris presented on the CRNC field program and other happenings at the national level.

Update IV: Read Esther Clark’s summary of the Georgia Convention here.

Update V: Will Croswell, the national field director for the CRNC attended the CR conventio in PA this past weekend. Here is what Mr. Croswell had to say:

The new state board was elected unanimously with the new State Chariman Anthony Pugliese and State Co-Chairman Mike Ubbens at the top of the ticket.

Speakers such as State Congressman Brian Ellis, Republican hopeful Congresswoman Melissa Hart (running to reclaim her former seat in the 4th Congressional district), as well as representatives from YAF, The Leadership Institute, and S4 (Students for Saving Social Security) all attended this year’s convention.

This year, it was held at the University of Pittsburgh on Saturday. New State Chairman Anthony Pugliese said his focus for his term was to build up recruitment and unite PA CR’s across the state. Overall, it was a well ran and I was happy to be a part.

A new web video from the McCain campaign.

Click here to read McCain’s “Service to America” speech, delivered today. The finale:

I am the son and grandson of admirals. My grandfather was an aviator; my father a submariner. They were my first heroes, and their respect for me has been one of the most lasting ambitions of my life. They gave their lives to their country, and taught me lessons about honor, courage, duty, perseverance and leadership that I didn’t fully grasp until later in life, but remembered when I needed them most. I have been an imperfect servant of my country for many years. But I am their son, and they showed me how to love my country, and that has made all the difference for me, my friends, all the difference in the world.