The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) College Republicans spent Thursday night making massive inroads in their local and state GOP, creating a new and powerful relationship that will embolden Nebraskan Republicans.

Like many other College Republican of America (CRA) chapters, UNL students used this volunteering opportunity at the event to demonstrate an energy and commitment not seen in years. UNL Republican leaders and members alike had the opportunity to network with a host of state senators, donors, staff, and more as they helped manage and oversee the dinner. They would even manage to begin the opening stages of negotiating job placements and election strategy, an unprecedented feat for most College Republican chapters ever since the COVID pandemic.

“A few college Republicans from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and I volunteered at the Nebraska Republican Senators' Recognition Dinner hosted by the NEGOP,” said UNL College Republicans President Carson Clayton. “The event provided an opportunity to improve relations with state party officials, which had been strained due to the perceived unreliability and lack of involvement of College Republicans in local and state elections.”

With these new networking efforts, Clayton said, the UNL College Republicans would have unprecedented opportunities to make positive change.

“The meeting with Chairman Underwood of NEGOP last night ensured that UNL College Republicans and future CRs would work together with the state party to maintain all five members of the federal delegation of Nebraska be staunch Republicans, retain the majority in the state senate, and gain seats in local school boards, county offices, and city,” Clayton explained. “Thank you to the NEGOP for the opportunity, and to [CRA President] Will Donahue for his help.”

Previous UNL presidents and their crumbling former CR association, the CRNC, had long since abandoned both the club and party, according to members. President Clayton explained the frustration that he and many other passionate Nebraska conservatives felt with their previously apathetic leadership.

“It felt as though Nebraska had been forgotten,” he said. “One of my first decisions as President of the UNL CRs was to disaffiliate from the CRNC due to a lack of communication, poor chapter involvement, and no formal setup on a state level.” Shortly after election, Clayton would join CRA and take full advantage of the new expert leadership behind him.

Combined with CRA’s war chest and unprecedented efforts to win the 2024 election, the UNL College Republicans have been able to rapidly expand, even starting another chapter at a sister college.

“CRA has allowed me to help accomplish the rest of my goals as President of UNL CRs: increase job opportunities/internships & grow chapters.  I can now say that we have gained a chapter at the University of Nebraska-Kearney,” Clayton said.