It’s easy to dismiss happenings within the College Republicans organization as trivial college drama and beneath the notice of serious political observers. But the surprising amount of mainstream media coverage of the latest CR debacle is justified, as one of the top “conservative” student groups in the country reaches an existential crossroads.
The departing chairman of the College Republicans National Committee (CRNC), Chandler Thornton, has been open about where his true loyalties (or lack of them) lie. He previously went out of his way to repeat left-wing talking points in an op-ed for Fox News in 2019, declaring—with no evidence—that “white supremacy” was the biggest problem facing the GOP. Rather than take on the Left, he boasted of his efforts to drive out chapter presidents in his own organization, while also taking time to condemn then-Representative Steve King (R-Iowa)…
As a result, multiple state federations have officially and completely de-chartered from the CRNC. Arizona, California, and Iowa have all joined the CRU, while Texas and New York have left the CRNC and are currently acting as their own independent organizations. This leaves the CRNC with zero representation in the three largest states in the country, and another two crucial swing states.
Others that were denied a voice, including the Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey delegations, are considering similar breakaways from the national organization. The writing on the wall points to a total collapse of one of the oldest Republican organizations in the country, after 129 years of existence. Read more…