Young Republicans

{{Infobox political youth organization | name = Young Republican National Federation | colorcode = {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}} | logo = Young Republicans logo.svg | national chairman = Hayden Padgett |national co-chairman = Catherine Whiteford | founded = {{start date and age|1931|4|23}}<ref>{{cite web|url= https://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/?a=d&d=CDS19300423.2.15&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------|title=The Cornell Daily Sun, 23 April 1931 — No. 150 |work=The Cornell Daily Sun|date=1931-04-23|access-date=2016-03-13}}</ref> | headquarters = Washington, D.C. | mother party = Republican Party | ideology = | position = | international = International Young Democrat Union<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://iydu.org/our-members/ | title = Our Members | access-date = 15 October 2025 }}</ref> | website = {{URL|https://www.yrnf.com/}} }} {{Conservatism US}}

The '''Young Republican National Federation''' ('''YRNF'''), commonly referred to as the '''Young Republicans''' ('''YR'''), is a 527 organization for members of the Republican Party of the United States between the ages of 18 and 40.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.njyrf.com/teen-republicans/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326042229/http://www.njyrf.com/teen-republicans/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 26, 2016|title=Teen Republicans|website=NJYRF|access-date=2016-09-24}}</ref> It has both a national organization and chapters in individual states.

Although frequently confused, the YRNF is separate from the College Republicans.

Young Republican clubs are both social and political in nature. Many of them sponsor various social events and networking events for members. In addition, Young Republican clubs assist Republican political candidates and causes.

In 2025, ''Politico'' released over 2,900 pages of messages from a leaked Young Republicans group chat that included racist, antisemitic and violent rhetoric. This led to the removal and firing of several high-ranking leaders of the organization, including some who held political positions or worked for elected officials.

== History == {{Expand section|date=November 2025}}

Although Young Republican organizations existed as early as 1856 with the founding of the New York Young Republican Club,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nyyrc.com/history/|title = History}}</ref> the Young Republican National Federation was formed by George H. Olmsted at the urging of Herbert Hoover.<ref>{{cite book|last=Guernsey|first=JoAnn Bren|title=Hillary Rodham Clinton : secretary of state|year=2010|publisher=Twenty-First Century Books|location=Minneapolis|isbn=978-0-7613-5122-1|page=20}}</ref> The YRNF was officially founded in 1931.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ernst|first1=Howard R.|last2=Sabato|first2=Larry J.|title=Encyclopedia of American political parties and elections|year=2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-379E2mFmYC&q=Young&pg=PA266|publisher=Facts On File|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8160-5875-4|page=497|edition=Updated}}</ref>

=== 1965 California Young Republicans leadership scandal === The California Young Republicans became embroiled in a scandal in 1965 when George King Jr. and Ray Drake, who had been elected president and corresponding secretary, respectively, of the Long Beach, California chapter of the group, were discovered to have an affiliation with far-right groups, particularly the American Nazi Party (ANP).<ref name="LosA651205">{{Cite news |date=1965-12-05 |title=Politics: Uproar Over Young GOP Pair |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-politics-uproar-o/183253170/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=G5 |via=Newspapers.com |volume=LXXXV |issn=0458-3035}}</ref><ref name="Pres651201">{{Cite news |last=Houser |first=Bob |date=1965-12-01 |title=Claim L.B. Young GOP Chiefs In Nazi Party |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-telegram-claim-lb-young-gop-chie/183252346/ |access-date=2025-10-19 |newspaper=Press-Telegram |location=Long Beach |page=A-1 |language=en-US |via=Newspapers.com |volume=LXXVIII |issue=260}}</ref><ref name="Sacr651202">{{Cite news |date=1965-12-02 |title=LA Area Young GOP Leaders Said Nazis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-union-la-area-young-gop-l/183258052/ |access-date=2025-10-19 |newspaper=The Sacramento Union |page=15 |via=Newspapers.com |volume=131 |issue=72 |agency=United Press International}}</ref>

This affiliation was revealed when Steven Dale Ahern, who claimed to be a former member of the ANP, testified that there was a plan by Ralph Perry Forbes, the head of the California ANP, to seize control of several California Young Republicans branches. He claimed that both Drake and King, both members of the ANP, had been elected based on funds and on Forbes's order. Forbes denied this and said that Ahern was untrustworthy.<ref name="LosA651205" /><ref name="Pres651201" /><ref name="Anah651203">{{Cite news |date=1965-12-03 |title=CYR Infiltration By Nazis Probed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/anaheim-bulletin-cyr-infiltration-by-naz/183252718/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |newspaper=The Bulletin |location=Anaheim |page=A2 |language=en-US |via=Newspapers.com |volume=XLIII |issue=107}}</ref> Both King and Drake had been members of several other far-right groups and King had been previously arrested for owning a machine gun. Drake said he had supported the ANP ideologically, had attended many of their meetings, and marched with them in Nazi uniform, but denied being a member officially.<ref name="LosA651205" /><ref name="Anah651203" /><ref name="LosA651202">{{Cite news |last=Coates |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Coates |date=1965-12-02 |title=Horror Story Also a Puzzle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-horror-story-also-a/183254970/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=3 |language=en-US |via=Newspapers.com |volume=LXXXIV |issn=0458-3035}}</ref>

This resulted in widespread criticism from state GOP politicians and internal debate; concerned about an infiltration of the YNRF by the ANP,<ref name="LosA651205" /><ref name="Anah651203" /><ref name="LosA6512052">{{Cite news |date=1965-12-05 |title=State YR Split Looms in Clash on Nazi Issue |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-state-yr-split-loo/183255317/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=2 |language=en-US |via=Newspapers.com |volume=LXXXV |issn=0458-3035}}</ref> King and Drake were investigated by the board of directors of the state-level California Young Republicans organization, who aimed to purge the organization of Nazi and ANP influences. State Assemblyman George Deukmejian heavily campaigned for their expulsion.<ref name="LosA651205" /><ref name="LosA651206">{{Cite news |date=1965-12-06 |title=YRs Act to Purge Any Nazi Taint |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-yrs-act-to-purge-a/183255060/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=3 |language=en-US |via=Newspapers.com |volume=LXXXV |issn=0458-3035}}</ref> It was debated whether the entire Long Beach chapter be ousted,<ref name="Anah651203" /><ref name="LosA6512052" /> and ultimately King and Drake were ousted from the party.<ref name="Pres6512082">{{Cite news |last=Houser |first=Bob |date=1965-12-08 |title=2 Leaders Ousted From L.B. Club by Young Republicans |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-telegram-2-leaders-ousted-from-lb/183252816/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |newspaper=Press-Telegram |location=Long Beach |page=1 |language=en-US |via=Newspapers.com |volume=LXXVIII |issue=266}}</ref> Senator Barry Goldwater praised the YRNF for expelling the pair.<ref name="Pres651208">{{Cite news |date=1965-12-08 |title=Goldwater Praises 'Purge' in Long Beach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-telegram-goldwater-praises-purge/183253063/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |newspaper=Press-Telegram |location=Long Beach |page=1 |language=en-US |via=Newspapers.com |volume=LXXVIII |issue=266}}</ref>

===2025 Telegram chat leaks=== {{Main|Young Republican group chat leaks}} In October 2025, ''Politico'' reported on 2,900 pages of leaked Telegram chats from high-ranking Young Republicans leaders nationwide. The chats spanned more than seven months. Many participants work in government or party politics, including Vermont state senator Samuel Douglass and U.S. Small Business Administration adviser Michael Bartels. The chats caused bipartisan controversy and condemnation due to racist and antisemitic slurs, white supremacist slogans and symbols, comments encouraging rape of political opponents to cause suicide, praise for Adolf Hitler, promotion of gas chambers, and enthusiasm for Republicans who they believed supported slavery.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beeferman |first1=Jason |last2=Ngo |first2=Emily |title='I love Hitler': Leaked messages expose Young Republicans' racist chat |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146 |website=Politico |access-date=18 October 2025 |date=14 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=David W. |last2=Mineiro |first2=Megan |title=Racist and Homophobic Texts From Young Republican Officials Prompt Backlash |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/us/politics/young-republicans-texts-backlash-racist-homophobic.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=18 October 2025 |date=15 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kim |first1=Catherine |last2=McHugh |first2=Calder |title=The leaked Young Republicans’ messages could be the future of politics |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2025/10/16/the-leaked-young-republicans-messages-could-be-the-future-of-politics-00612737 |website=Politico |access-date=18 October 2025 |date=16 October 2025}}</ref>

== Footnotes == {{reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==

* Jon Grinspan, "'Young Men for War': The Wide Awakes and Lincoln's 1860 Presidential Campaign," ''Journal of American History,'' vol. 96, no. 2, (Sept. 2009), pp. 357–378. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/25622297 In JSTOR]

== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.yrnf.com/}}

Category:Conservative organizations in the United States Category:International Young Democrat Union Category:Political organizations established in 1931 Category:Republican Party (United States) organizations Category:Young Republican National Federation Category:Youth wings of conservative parties Category:Youth wings of political parties in the United States