Earlier this month, CRA President Will Donahue, had the distinct honor of attending a meet and greet with former President Trump during an event sponsored by the CAGOP. Not only was he able to get a photo with the former president, but he was also able to speak with him about the work that is happening behind the scenes. I inquired about this event in an interview with Will. 

Q: How will you use this meeting with Trump to advance the organization's interests? 

A: Primarily for the name ID and our credibility on the national scale. It is quite abnormal for presidential candidates to take an interest in College Republicans but given the current state of affairs, presidential candidates are making it a priority to meet with young people, including the College Republicans. He was very pleased to hear that we have been doing volunteer work for Team Trump, which is where the opportunity to meet him came from. Trump has a memory like an iron trap, he's now aware that our organization exists and that we will play a pivotal role in working with TP action too. 

Q: What kind of pivotal role will TP Action have with the CRA? 

A: Working with TP Action is important since their canvassing app is going be revolutionary. I will be going to their headquarters to test out the app soon. The app’s ability to create walk-books to help with campaigns will be unlike anything we've ever seen. CRA will be one of the first groups to test this out and it will help us in our Ballot Chasing Initiative. Because of the potential of this app, we are seeking funds to supplement the resources that TP Action has available. As a campaign organizer, their ballot chasing system is far more advanced than any other group, groups like the Lincoln Club which has millions of dollars and influences presidential campaigns will be using the app in the upcoming election cycle. 

Q: Do you see yourself prioritizing Team Trump’s campaign over the others in the GOP primary?

A: We are not endorsing in the primary. Endorsing in the primary has been proven to reduce voter turnout. The GOP doesn't endorse in Presidential primaries. I will say the Trump campaign has been the most responsive to us, however we are open to working with any campaign. Nevertheless, there is a clear favorite within the GOP primary and Trump has been more favored than any other GOP primary candidate in history. We are confident that Trump is going to with the primary so establishing a good relationship with them and being on good terms with them will be good for everyone involved. 

Q: If you had to give one message to people curious about donating to the CRA what would it be?

A: As far as donations go, our biggest selling point is that we removed problems with the other CR groups, we removed internal fighting.  We are focused on building the organization rather than our salaries. We have no overhead. We also are the only group that gives money to the state federations so the states in turn can ensure their volunteers get paid. We make sure donor funds that are given to us are not wasted on college parties. We are trying to clean our reputation and give transparency to our donors. Every dollar donated to the organization is put to good use.  The money we give must be earned by doing volunteer work on campaigns or student events. 

President Donahue finished off the interview with a statement encapsulating his entire experience. 

“In a lot of ways [Trump] is larger than life and it was an honor and a privilege for Team Trump to give me the opportunity to meet the president and tell him what we are up to and how we are helping to propel the GOP to victory in 2024.”