Chair Elliott’s Welcoming Address
Mr. Chairman, Vice Chair Gray, National Committeeman Bennett, Secretary Huwe, Treasurer McHaddad. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, first I'd like to say that I'm humbled and honored to be your next chairman. And I look forward to leading Oregon's comeback with all of you. I'd also like to thank my girlfriend, Maddie, for encouraging me, inspiring me to run this organization. And Calvin for all of the work you did in helping me with my campaign.
Thank you. Chairman Lloyd, I want to say thank you for making this organization become chartered again. And if it wasn't for the work that you did in getting this organization rechartered, we would not all be here today. Thank you for your service, dedication, and commitment to the young Republicans of Oregon and to the Republican Party Board. And I appreciate it if you'd all join me in giving a round of applause to Chairman Lloyd. Thank you. I look around this room and I see future legislators, members of Congress, U.S. senators, future governors, and hey, maybe even a future president.
Our organization is dedicated and to investing into your success. I want us to be a political powerhouse in this state. I want you to be excited about the future. And I want to see each and every one of you live up to your full potential. America's story was paved by people like us. 21, the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were between the ages of 18 and 40, which is the age range to be a young Republican. It was just a 33-year-old Thomas Jefferson who wrote the most famous words in world history. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It was young people who sparked the fire of freedom and earned our independence. It was young people who fought in the Civil War to unite a divided country and end the terrible sentence of slavery. It was young pioneers who settled the untamed wilderness of Oregon. It was young people who stormed the beaches of Normandy to free a continent and defeat fascism. It was young people from their blood, sweat, sacrifice, and tears who defied the odds and challenges to create the greatest and most successful country to ever exist. And it is young people like you here today who are going to rise up to the occasion to save Oregon.
Our organization's motto is very simple. Recruit, train, and elect the next generation Republicans. My priorities for these next two years are to recruit over 100 new members by the end of my first term.
Help train and prepare our members at want to be candidates themselves, a campaign staffer, a grassroots activist, a staffer in this Oregon capital, or a staffer in Washington, D.C. This may be the most important of my goals. I want us to hold annual funders, and by the end of this year, I want us to raise at least $20,000. And, lastly, I want us to take a full delegation to the National Young Republicans Convention in Nashville this summer. We have 13 delegates positions, and we have as many alternates as we want.
And, actually, I do have one more. I want to see some of us actually get elected. So let's make that happen. We live in one of the most taxed, oldest, and liberal states in the country. Oregon is in a state of decline. Our businesses are leaving, our people are moving, and our economy is failing. It'd be easy for any of us to move to the free state of Florida and to stand here in the people republic of Oregon. But why do we stay?
Well, I can tell you why today. I stay because I believe in my home, Oregon. Rebecca Franks, who traveled on the Oregon Trail and settled here in Oregon in 1846, had this to say, she made the difficult journey. The trail has been a trial of endurance, but we are not defeated. Our spirits are strong, and with each challenge we find new strength to carry on. Oregon calls us, and we will answer. My fellow young Republicans, let us keep our spirits strong, and let us answer the call to save Oregon. Thank you. I look forward to working with all of you. God bless you. God bless Oregon, and God bless the United States of Oregon. The view here looks bright.
