A Party of Opportunity and Inclusion

By Elizabeth Minneman

Senator Rand Paul recently said that the Republican Party must “evolve, adapt or die.” Expanding our party’s base is clearly the key to our survival—anyone who has seen the results of the last several elections in Virginia can tell you that. The critical question, then, is how do we go about doing so.

As the chairman of the College Republican Federation of Virginia, I am constantly asked how our party can better reach nontraditional conservatives and millennials. The answer is simple: it is not enough to talk up our principles on our Republican Facebook groups, at our unit meetings, and in our conventions with fellow party activists. We have to go outside our comfort zone to reach those who might not look like us, come from our backgrounds, or agree with us on every issue. We need to stop using broad language like, “Republicans will create jobs and decrease the size of government,” and point to specific policies that will directly impact individuals’ lives.

College Republicans have been the trailblazers in making these crucial changes to our strategy. Last fall, our innovative efforts on 31 college campuses here in Virginia helped Ken Cuccinelli win the youth vote by six points. We weren’t afraid to attend meetings with atheist organizations, LGBT rights groups, and minority student alliances. We brought our Republican principles from an abstract to a personal level by explaining to students how Ken Cuccinelli would increase financial aid grants and lock in tuition rates.

While our efforts paid off by helping Cuccinelli win the 18-25 year old vote, not everyone in our party has been supportive of these strategies. Earlier this month, College Republicans at Virginia Tech came under attack for “going against our party platform” by speaking to students at a LGBT intersectionality fair on campus. At the event, CRs highlighted the existence of Republican supporters of gay marriage and openly gay members of the Republican Party. In doing so, the VTCRs gained many new members who were previously unaware that gay individuals were welcome in our party.

The answer to winning elections does not lie in making the Republican Party more exclusive or “pure” in its membership and ideology. We as Republicans cannot go on being known as the party of retired, white, conservative activists who are willing to devote 14 hours of their Saturday to attend a party convention. The future of the Republican Party is made up of my Muslim friend who immigrated to this country for economic opportunities, my gay classmate who dreams of owning his own business, and my Christian friends who care deeply about preserving religious freedom.

Maybe it’s time that our messaging and policies reflect our desire to increase the diversity of our party. Let’s come together this fall to show Virginians that the Republican Party is the party of not only opportunity, but also of inclusion.

Elizabeth Minneman chairs the College Republican Federation of Virginia and is a Master of Public Policy candidate at the University of Virginia.