By Joel Sorenson, commentary | Rocky Mountain Voice
On Saturday, August 17th , one of the newest grassroots organizations, the El
Paso County Young Republicans, revived an old GOP tradition called the “Teddy
Roastavelt,” as a call back to the more successful days of the party and a promise to
write a new energetic chapter in local Republican politics.
Steve and Lisa Brandt generously hosted the Young Republicans at their barn in Black
Forest, and the event was attended by many of the group’s over-100 engaged young
conservatives as well as many local elected officials, including CD5 Republican
nominee Jeff Crank.
The event was designed to officially launch the campaign efforts of the organization,
which had been building momentum throughout the summer at a slate of socials
including a trek into the mountains with 75 of the group’s faithful to ride horses and
ATV’s in June.
Since kicking off in April in a room full of young people, almost all of whom were new to
politics, the YRs cohosted the first Congressional District 5 debate between Jeff Crank
and Dave Williams, speak regularly at school board meetings, staff the campaign teams
for multiple state legislative races, and have grown rapidly with no sign of slowing down.
Beyond El Paso, involved members from our group have gone on to establish thriving
Young Republican chapters in Teller and Pueblo County.
At the Roastavelt, Chairman and small businessman Kolby Zipperer laid out his vision
for the Young Republicans to build a volunteer army to flip and hold the competitive
seats in El Paso County.
This organization is proving to be rocket fuel for a movement and political party in
desperate need of revival. Historically, the electoral math suggests that for a candidate
to win a statewide office in Colorado, he must run up the score in El Paso. Today, the
fact that El Paso is home to the minority leaders of both legislative chambers testifies to
the fact that our county is the last political and cultural bulwark in a state that is losing its
identity as a Western state in a Western nation. If a conservative resurgence is to come,
it seems appropriate that it would begin here.
The explicit purpose of the YRs is to elect Republicans, a task which we’ve undertaken
with formidable dedication. But our political efforts might be the least interesting thing
about us. Even more exciting is the culture it’s building.
Young people are growing up surrounded by institutions that would be unrecognizable
only a generation ago. From the education system to the job market, and often even
within our churches, to be a conservative is to be an outsider.
This organization is in a small way, rebuilding a culture that is increasingly lost. It’s
common for a spontaneous gathering at Top Golf or a coffee shop to attract a dozen or
more YRs.
For the first time in a long time, there is cause for optimism in our movement. Because
in a world that seems increasingly to be falling apart, a rapidly growing number of
people are planting our flag firmly in the dirt and saying that at least in this moment and
among these people, for at least one more generation, the West is here to stay.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.