John F. Kennedy once said, “The future promise of any nation can be directly measured by the present prospects of its youth.” When the youth of our generation are typically less accomplished, less powerful, less wise, and less wealthy than our elders, this truth is easy to forget. But we must remember that one day, the youth of our generation will inherit America.
Since the majority of young Americans have veered to the political Left, this is a scary thought. How we need to respond is simple in theory, but a lifelong challenge in practice. We must raise up a new generation of leaders and pass the baton to them. This is the Young Republican National Federation’s sole mission: To Recruit, Train, and Elect young conservative leaders under 40 years old. If we as Americans succeed in passing the baton, our greatest vulnerability will become our strongest asset.
On July 24th, the YRNF held a national convention for its members. One of the many highlights were the speeches given by young conservative leaders like Martina White from Pennsylvania’s 170th House District in Philadelphia. In 2015, Martina challenged a Democrat in a deep-blue seat in Philadelphia that no Republican had dared touch in the last two cycles. She achieved a stunning victory through relentless effort - talking to voters at their doors and becoming embedded in voters’ local neighborhoods.
Martina’s incredible story underscores the greatest power that young people have to transform the world around them: We know no bounds, because we don’t yet know what isn’t possible. As a candidate running for Virginia’s House of Delegates, this is the mindset with which I want to serve the people of my district and stand for our conservative values.
It was also inspiring to hear from other young Republicans like Joe Collins (who took on Congresswoman Maxine Waters from California) and Congressional Representatives such as Kat Cammack and Madison Cawthorn, who beat people’s low expectations of them and have become great expositors of the American dream and champions on policy for Conservatism.
Another highlight from the weekend was the panel discussion on Critical Race Theory. This is one of several policy areas where the Left is pushing a cultural narrative to sway our generation. These discussions in and beyond the lecture hall gave us great exploration and insight on how to recognize CRT, what the truth about it really is, and how to combat it at the local level.
Discussing CRT with a group of such passionate, thoughtful young Republicans and connecting with groups like the Heritage Foundation has fueled my own efforts in fighting CRT even as it springs up in my district covering Franklin, Henry, and Patrick counties. Our students and teachers in the Franklin County Public Schools have had CRT crammed down on them in teacher-trainings and student curricula. Because of this danger to our students, parents and teachers, my first bill when I take office in January will ban Critical Race Theory in Virginia’s public schools.
By far, the most rewarding part of the weekend was the chance to see what our own Virginia chapter of Young Republicans has accomplished. We unanimously elected Thomas Turner from Suffolk, VA and Jack Blakely from Falls Church, VA to national leadership, as the Southern Regional Vice Chairman and Assistant Treasurer, respectively. And our entire Virginia chapter received a national award for the outstanding trainings we have held for conservative activists around Virginia.
As the convention wound down, I returned home inspired by a generation of young Americans who are ready to take up the torch of freedom and shine it in every corner of Virginia, and in every state of our great country.