The College Republican National Committee wants its outreach efforts campus-focused. $2M field plan for college GOP group

The College Republican National Committee is making a major investment in a new field program targeting students on campus this fall, seeking to improve the GOP’s standing with young voters following the party’s disastrous election results in 2012.

The group expects to spend close to $2 million at the outset as the program kicks off in September, with potentially more down the line, POLITICO has learned. The plan is to operate in at least 16 states, including Florida, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and other places with particular relevance in 2014 — or 2016. They have hired three regional political directors and will also bring on 30 field representatives to put the initiative, titled “Operation Red Campus,” into motion.


President Barack Obama walloped Mitt Romney among young voters in 2012, prompting the CRNC to conduct its own research as to where its party went wrong, just as the Republican National Committee commissioned an “autopsy” report.

Working off knowledge gleaned from its study, the CRNC is planning this year to keep its youth outreach efforts more campus-focused — and more oriented toward swaying nonbase voters. In previous years, the group has instead focused heavily on connecting its activists with broader state and local political efforts off-campus.

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“Our goal with this program is to not only speak to young people in relevant themes and relevant language, but to also be on campus and to be online,” CRNC Chairwoman Alexandra Smith said.

Half of the investments will go to online advertising in targeted area codes, and the other half will go toward work field representatives are doing. The organization has explored targeted advertising on a smaller scale with spots in the Virginia governor’s race last year, and then again in Michigan.

“We will not cede any vote or any space,” Smith said. “We are willing to go wherever it is to get new faces.”

Rob Flaherty, the Democratic National Committee’s youth spokesman, fired back that Republican policies on issues such as student loans, immigration and same-sex marriage are out of touch with students.

“Here’s a pro-tip for the CRNC: It doesn’t matter how much you talk to young people if what you’re saying is fundamentally at odds with their values and beliefs,” he said in an email, adding later: “Republicans stand proudly on the wrong side of issues that matter to America’s youth. If they want to spend $2 million bringing that message to young folks on campuses, they should absolutely be our guest.”