This author is the former Co-Chairman of the New Mexico Federation of College Republicans.
Throughout the course of this contentious election some people have lost friendships, others have lost jobs, and some people have walked away from politics completely. While 2016 has brought forth a lot of uncertainty in the Republican Party, one concept remains true: party loyalty. We may have intellectual disagreements over policy, values, and yes even our nominees, but at the end of the day party loyalty is the fundamental concept that never changes, and this is especially true for leadership.
Despite one’s disagreements with the party or its candidates, there is one thing a party leader should never do: endorse, support, or campaign for the opposition. This fundamentally goes against one’s basic responsibility as a leader.
The College Republicans, especially here in New Mexico, should be held to the same standard. We serve as the Republican voice of college students nationwide. With the millennial vote becoming ever more important with each passing election, so is the role of College Republicans. As a leader in the College Republicans you are given the most important task of creating the next generation of Republican voters. This is your fundamental responsibility. It’s no secret that even in the College Republicans we have disagreements — from neoconservative to libertarian, there is a place for everyone’s voice. However, despite our disagreements, we always remain loyal to the Republican Party. This is a concept that the New Mexico College Republicans, who recently endorsed Gary Johnson, do not understand. It was disagreements over this basic principle that ultimately led to my resignation.
The New Mexico College Republicans have decided to break the most basic rule of their leadership by endorsing Gary Johnson. It’s one thing to denounce the Republican nominee. It’s okay to disagree with them, but to endorse, support, dedicate resources, and work for the opposing party’s candidate is nothing short of a dereliction of duty. Quite frankly, anyone working with the opposition has no business working in Republican leadership at any level. Despite my own issues with Trump, as Co-chairman of the New Mexico College Republicans, I understood that I was expected to set an example and support our nominee. I cannot say my fellow officers shared this viewpoint. After half a year of rebuilding, rebranding, and restructuring the New Mexico College Republicans, I have now tendered my resignation and reaffirmed my continued support for Donald J. Trump, because at the end of the day, true leadership transcends title.
When the New Mexico College Republicans endorsed Gary Johnson they crossed a fundamental line. They stole the voice of every single Republican student in New Mexico who supports Donald Trump. I am ashamed, disappointed, and embarrassed to see the New Mexico College Republicans organization abused by its current leadership for their own personal gain. Instead of being responsible leaders for the party, they are taking our resources and dedicating them to the opposition. I resigned because sometimes the toughest decision is the right decision. If the New Mexico College Republican leadership truly cares about the next generation of voters, perhaps they will do the same.
