Getting the party started

Indiana should be proud. This past weekend, several hundred College Republicans convened outside of Washington, D.C., for the 56th National College Republican Convention. College Republican members kicked-off the weekend with an impressive agenda of high-profile conservative speakers, including Tom Delay, Mike Pence and Ed Gillespie. College Republicans have long been a vital crank in the Grand Old Party machine--dominating grass-roots campaigning, fundraising and coaching the nation's best leaders. Along with training sessions, dinners, book signings and meetings, the CRNC held their biannual elections for the national executive board.\nThe incredible passion, talent, intelligence and leadership that marks a College Republican was evident in every member present, but paled to the conduct, courage and convictions of the Indiana delegates. These people are going places. Jess Beeson of DePauw University, one of the "flip-flop twins" who protested John Kerry's lack of political conviction by donning a giant flip-flop costume outside last summer's Democratic National Convention, was elected national co-chairman under the campaign management of IU's own CR chairman Andrew Lauck. \nLauck is more than a big deal. His strategies in the hotly contested election of the CRNC secured Beeson's election and ensured all Indiana CR chapters access to resources at the national level. He sets the bar high. He is a political mastermind, yet always runs a clean campaign. A true advocate is one who knows when -- and when not -- to use political rhetoric. Lauck knows, and he expects others to find out. During the election, Lauck and Beeson gained the support of the six delegates of Nebraska and Louisiana by rejecting the slick and sleazy and instead focused their energy on face to face contact. At the end of the day, these originally apprehensive delegates were stopping Lauck and instructing everyone around to "stop and acknowledge the chief of staff." Those six votes were the margin of victory, a victory that is invaluable to advancing the College Republican movement of Indiana.\nBeeson and Lauck, although comfortable in the spotlight, do not live for it. Take away the politics and they are leaders, organizers, cheerleaders and team players. They can delegate, but they can also roll up their sleeves and battle in the trenches. Although there is no mistaking Beeson and Lauck's political views, neither one will accept parroting back trite rebuttals from liberals or conservatives. Facts are meaningless without knowing the motivation behind them. If nothing else, you leave a debate knowing where the holes are -- and wanting to patch them up. \nIt is not money, slant or spin that enables Beeson and Lauck to easily accomplish what political candidates spend thousands of dollars attempting to achieve. It is that they are personal, polished and real. They are not politicians; they are unrelenting champions of their cause. If Beeson and Lauck's philosophy and accomplishments are any indication of future success, the Republican Party will be unstoppable. Their fight to move political apathy into political action is what makes College Republicans around the country the greatest party on campus.