The Bates College Republicans is the College Republican chapter of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. The club is a flagship chapter of the Maine College Republicans, which was named "Best State Federation in America" by the College Republican National Committee in November 2004.

Mission

The goals of the Bates College Republicans are to promote the principles of conservatism and the Republican Party among members of the Bates College community and to aid in the election of Republican candidates at all levels of government. It also seeks to encourage and assist in the organization and active functioning of the Republican Party at local, state, and national levels, and to develop political skills and leadership abilities among Republican students as preparation for future service by them to the Republican Party and their local communities.

History

Since the early 2000s, the Bates College Republicans has been a flagship chapter of the Maine College Republicans and a consistently active political organization in the State of Maine. In 2001, club members founded The John Galt Press, a conservative/libertarian newspaper that is distributed to a number of other colleges and universities. The publication eventually grew into a successful separate club. The Bates College Republicans hosted bestselling author Dinesh D'Souza in March 2003. The club was voted "Chapter of the Year" by the Maine College Republican State Committee in April 2004.

First daughters Barbara and Jenna Bush visited the Bates campus as guests of the Bates College Republicans in September 2004. The event drew well over 100 Republican supporters from around the region. Club members participated actively in grassroots efforts in support of the Bush/Cheney '04 campaign in Maine's Androscoggin County, where Bates is located. Bush's support in the county improved dramatically from the 2000 election. This is especially evident in the election results from the town of Lisbon, Maine from 2000 and 2004. Additionally, exit polls conducted by Cable News Network (CNN) revealed that Maine was one of only two states in which the Democratic presidential and vice presidential nominees won a majority of the popular vote but the majority of the youth demographic (18-29 years of age) supported President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

The Bates College Republicans hosted William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard, in March 2005. The Bates College Representative Assembly (RA) unanimously passed a resolution endorsing Students for Academic Freedom's (SAF) Academic Bill of Rights in May 2005. Few other colleges/universities or state legislatures had taken similar action. The Bates College Republicans spearheaded the resolution's passage. In September 2005, bestselling author and Students for Academic Freedom founder David Horowitz spoke at Bates as part of the Maine College Republicans' "Academic Freedom Days" in Maine. The Bates College Republicans hosted former U.S. Circuit (District of Columbia Curcuit) Judge Kenneth W. Starr in March 2006.

Leadership

The Bates College Republicans Executive Board consists of the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. These five officers are elected every April by club members in good standing.

Andrew L. Simon '04 and Oliver J. Wolf '06 served as club presidents during a period of strong growth for the Bates College Republicans in 2003-2004. Nathaniel Y. Walton '08, who organized many successful events in 2004-2005, was elected club president in April 2005. Walton was elected Chairman of the Maine College Republicans in July 2005.