A NEW ERA FOR THE NEW YORK COLLEGE REPUBLICANS

Sunday, April 24, 2006--Erin McTiernan made history on Sunday by being the first woman elected to the position of Chair in the long history of the New York College Republican State Committee.

Exerts of McTiernan's accepatance speech at the New York College Republican Convention:

"Today marks a new beginning for the New York College Republicans.... There are no more hard feelings and internal politics. Constructive criticism is what I expect from... If you have a problem with a decision I make or have a different approach which you feel is better, tell me. Everyone in this room is a leader and the only way the NYCRs are going to move forward is if we listen to each other and share ideas..."

"We need to face reality: our organization is in trouble. Today the NYCRSC is in debt, has the lowest rate of credential chapters in years, and the majority of chapters in the state have low recruitment numbers. Back in 1992 the New York College Republicans had 90 chapters. Standing here today, April 23, 2006, there are 16 credential chapters. This is completely unacceptable and cannot continue. We need to start building chapters and we need to start today. I am making it a goal for us to double the number of credential chapters here with us today before summer..."

"The only way we can ensure victory is to have the forces and manpower across New York State. When our county committees and statewide candidates call on us for help, we need to be there to give all that we have and more! By next week, Kelli Crowley, our State Secretary, will have an updated list of every credential chapter in NY. From there, we will execute "Operation Homefront"; a plan that will employ CRs when they are at home for break. Just because campuses take a break, doesn't mean we take break..."

"The College Republicans are going to be a driving force in the 2006 elections. The Republican Party is going to need our help in letting Hillary know her stay within New York is over and keeping Eliot Spitzer out of the Governor's Office. We are not only going to be needed for these statewide elections, but also for every Senate and Assembly district in the state. When these campaigns call on us to help, we need to be ready; but first, we must strengthen our chapters around the state."

"The Regional Vice Chairman and the Deputies are going to be the driving force in this transformation. I have asked all the regional vice chair candidates to create a plan for their region for the upcoming year. On November 30th I am asking that all the Regional Vice Chairman create a "State of the Region Report" in which all the Vice Chairs will be asked to reflect on what they have accomplished throughout the campaign season and what their plans going forward are."

"The job of State Chairman is no longer a right or a contest in New York. From now on the person who holds this office will hold it as a privilege and an honor. It will no longer be a job taken lightly."

"My friends, imagine the day that comes when our candidate for U.S. Senate, or Governor of New York personally thanks all of you for your hard work, because he or she only won the election by a handful of votes secured by ambitious political believers like us. It happened before, when Alfonso D'Amto won in New York for US Senate."

"...for every successful chapter that we start, we are that much closer to getting another republican elected to office."

"...that's why we can no longer let false clubs exist, or inflated numbers of members to achieve a more popular status."

"We will be tough, we will be strong, and above all else we will be honest and through these principles, we will earn the respect of our peers, and our leaders in this state they will realize what a viable asset we are to them, and you will see College Republican's become the deciding factor in many more elections."

"...most College Republicans from New York that the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, DC has ever seen. Maine might have tried to be pull of "Maine Fest" this year, but next year we are going to have so many people from New York there that the whole conference will feel like "New York fest."

"The concept of executive board meetings being completely closed to the general membership ends today. As long as I am chair all executive board meetings are open to the general membership. You will not have a vote on issues, but you will definitely have a voice on all issues. We are having executive board meetings every month."

"When a candidate donates to the College Republicans from now on, we are not sending back the standard "thank you" letter. We are sending back a form saying, "thanks for your donation, now what can we do to help get you elected? We are going to be proactive in searching for campaigns that need our help. Campaigns that help the College Republicans will be the first campaigns that the College Republicans help."

Congratulations to the new NYCRSC, Inc Team that was elected at the Long Island Convention:

State Officers
Chairwoman Erin McTiernan
Co-Chairman Frank Guidice (Brockport)
Treasuer Kathleen Hunker (Hofstra)
Secretary Kellie Crowley (Brockport)

Regional Vice Chairmen
Western Regional VC Jake Brown (Keuka)
Central Regional VC Dan Hetzel (Syracuse University)
Capital Region VC Andrew Winchell (Albany)
Long Island Regional VC Robert Romano (Stonybrook)
NYC Regional VC Sarah Chambers (NYU)