Honorable Mentions

The Top Ten were chosen on three basic criteria:

1. The stature of the candidates for whom they have worked
2. The roles they have served in, either by appointment or election
3. The overall network they have been able to assemble

The following people are those that were considered very strongly for the top ten but either lacked one of the three criteria or were not as strong as those that made the list.  We still hold these individuals in high regard and believe they have proven to be tremendous operatives and possibly candidates themselves in time.  

Again, these are not ranked by importance but rather alphabetically.

Matthew Chisholm

Former SVSU College Republican Chairman who served as the Director of Volunteers for Rick Snyder’s gubernatorial campaign.

Alex Clark

Twice ran for Youth-Vice Chair in unsuccessful bids. Held campaign positions with both Attorney General Bill Schuette and state Representative Nancy Jenkins. Currently works for, and is held in high regard by, House Majority Leader Jim Stamas.

Mac Coddington

Current Chairman of Michigan Federation of Teenage Republicans and a future student at the University of Michigan. Volunteered around the state and has plenty of potential.

Louie Glinzak

Strong former leader of Michigan State University’s College Republicans. Worked on AG Mike Cox’s gubernatorial campaign.

Phil Kraft

SVSU graduate who worked closely with Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land’s office and in her campaign for Lieutenant Governor.

James Lower

Close with Lt. Governor Brian Calley, managed his campaign for State Senate. Started his own electoral career by running for and winning a seat on the Ionia County Commission.

Brent Stanton

Former state Chairman of the Michigan Federation Teenage Republicans. Works in various capacities in and around Lansing, including as an aid for state Representative Kevin Cotter.

Justin Tomei

Former President of the College Republicans at GVSU.  Became a field representative for the CRNC after aiding congressional candidate Jay Riemersma of the 2^nd District. 

The Top 10 Youth Leaders in the MRP

As we near a potentially highly contested primary season in both the 2012 Senate and Presidential races in Michigan, it can be very beneficial to know who are the most dedicated, influential, and powerful political operatives within the Republican Party. However, it is not always the money men that make the difference in these races, especially when you look at who will win the Republican primaries. The base of the volunteers has long been the youth, and with this site we hope to help showcase the prominent GOP youth that are helping, and in many cases directing, the efforts to ensure the election of Republicans at all levels of government in Michigan.

The following list is comprised of the top ten leaders across the state who have shown themselves to be far more than the average intern making cold-calls or copies. The criterion for selecting these ten is based on their experience and positions both within the party and on campaigns, their relationships with Republican leadership and politicians, and their level of visibility around the state. And so, (UPDATED)-Now in alphabetical order, here are the top ten youth leaders in the Michigan Republican Party:

Charles Bogren
Recently elected as Chairman of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans in an uncontested race, Bogren seems to have strong support amongst most of the chapters. The current University of Michigan Chairman has led his chapter from turmoil into one of the largest groups in the state. Charles gained political experience while working for Congressman Tim Walberg’s victory over Mark Schauer in the 7^th. Reportedly well respected on the campaign, look for Charles to have increased influence on Walberg’s reelection campaign in 2012.

It appears as though Bogren is preparing for a fundraising blitz that will ensure statewide notoriety and increase the number of accomplishments achieved. While it is unclear where he will stand on the presidential and US Senate races there is little doubt, come primary time, his ability to build a coalition and turn out volunteers will come in handy for any candidate seeking youth support. 

Sonny Gast
Gast's influence lies in her remarkable networking abilities. She was first introduced to the Michigan political scene by volunteering for Congressman Fred Upton and aiding and later dating Hillsdale’s young Mayor Michael Sessions. Once heavily involved in Hillsdale College’s College Republican chapter, she was unceremoniously impeached from the Executive Board. This setback did not phase her political ambitions as she was an ardent supporter of Attorney General Bill Schuette and continued to serve as a field representative for Upton. 

Gast's Hillsdale dismissal has not hurt her standing in the CR community, as she currently holds the #2 spot in the Michigan Federation of College Republicans under Charles Bogren. This position should allow her to further network at social GOP events. Look for her to continue fostering a close relationship with Upton as she pursues her ambitions.

Troy Hudson
One of the hardest working political operatives on our list, the former Schuette campaign staffer and Fred Upton volunteer is the current Chairman of the Western Michigan University CR’s. A native of Kalamazoo, Hudson has strong ties to many state legislators in southwest Michigan to compliment his influence on the Attorney General. Hudson is well known for his ability to consistently raise volunteers for various candidates and campaigns, and has improved the reputation of his group on a local and statewide level.

The newly appointed Executive Director of MFCR, Hudson is known to be close with both Chairman Charles Bogren and Youth Vice-Chair Sarah Ledford. As the 2012 elections approach it will be interesting to see which candidates Hudson supports from behind the scenes rather than in his official capacities. One has to imagine that he will help determine where the Party’s youth align in these upcoming elections, particularly on the west side of the state.

Sarah Ledford
A 2009 UofM graduate, Sarah started in politics in Ann Arbor as the leader of Young American’s for Liberty on campus. From there she attached herself to team Cox in the 2010 primary. After the Attorney General failed to capture the nomination in August, Ledford joined Ruth Johnson’s successful bid for Secretary of State. Ledford is coming off an overwhelming victory for Youth Vice-Chair in January’s state convention.  This win is largely attributed to the connections Sarah gained with team’s Cox and Johnson and her strong relationship with MRP Chairman Bobby Schostak. 

Going forward, the new Youth-Vice Chair will be working to unite Young Republicans, Teenage Republicans, and College Republicans behind candidates for senate and president in the next cycle. This should be no problem for the self-proclaimed “coalition builder.” A Ron Paul supporter in 2008 Sarah will likely have to find a more mainstream candidate in 2012 as she looks to gain credibility with the MRP.

Mike Marzano
Born in Jackson and a graduate of the University of Michigan, Marzano is arguably the most experienced member of this list. Having run the Jackson Fix Michigan Center during the 19^th Senate District’s special election in 2009, he gained notoriety within the 7^th District, eventually being tapped by Brian Rooney to run his primary campaign against Tim Walberg.

Taking a little known-candidate that had lived in the 7^th for barely more than a year and earning 33% of the vote is an impressive feat, but even more so was his subsequent work with the Rob Steele campaign against long-entrenched John Dingell. Though Steele would eventually lose the race, national attention was brought to the 15^th District for the first time in several decades. Marzano currently works for Rep. Rick Outman in Lansing, but his plans for the 2012 elections remain to be seen. We look forward to seeing where the next year will take him and are expecting great things.

Gus Portela
Portela is coming off of a long history of success in College Republicans. From Chairman of Grand Rapids Community College’s chapter to Secretary of MFCR to Chairman of MFCR, Gus has taken the steps necessary for progression. He has used his positions to land jobs with Sen. John McCain’s presidential bid, Bill Hardiman’s congressional campaign, and Strategic National consulting.The network Gus has built, along with his keen ability to gather large groups of volunteers has a high value in the campaign world.

Portela decided to not seek reelection as MFCR Chairman, instead pursuing the Midwest Vice-Chair spot within the College Republican National Committee. The Grand Rapids native is in the right spot for continued success. Look for him to support Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty or possibly a client of Strategic National’s in 2012.

Robbie Rankey
Robbie’s path has been far more arduous than that of the other members of this list. He got involved in politics early in life, working as Grassroots Coordinator for Sen. Roger Kahn, and served as Chairman of Ferris State’s College Republican chapter. There Rankey formed alliances that we far more tenuous than he imagined. In his campaign for Youth Vice-Chair of MRP, Robbie ended up facing and ultimately losing to his former confidant Pete Vitale. Since then he has aligned himself with Romney in ’08 as well as MRP Chairman Saul Anuzis against the Yob political machine.   

After 2008 Rankey found a home with Attorney General Mike Cox’s statewide team. He bounced from the AG’s office to Cox’s gubernatorial campaign. On that campaign he became the grassroots leader in a campaign that relied heavily on its passionate volunteer base. Rankey now serves on the staff of newly elected Secretary of State Ruth Johnson.  It is anticipated that he and his new boss will support Romney’s 2012 effort. 

Steve Sachs
Steve cut his teeth as Mike Nofs’ campaign manager in his successful bid for the 19^th Senate District. Following the victory Sachs was rewarded with a job in Nofs’ Lansing office following the campaign. Steve has kept a close eye on 7^th District politics with having had strong involvement in now Speaker Jase Bolger’s initial House campaign and clear coordination with the Walberg, Shirkey, and Poleski campaigns. 

After the 2010 cycle, Sachs made the jump from Nofs’ office to Gov. Snyder’s, an unfortunate loss for the senator. Will this transition also usher in a step up from 7^th District dealings to statewide involvement? 
As 2012 approaches it is unclear if Steve will stay with the Governor or if he will join a campaign.  As a proven winner, he will likely be on the short list for many candidates' staffs.

Pete Vitale
A native of Clinton Township, Vitale has long been involved with youth politics in the state. Chairman of the CRs at Oakland University, he quickly rose to become MFCR Chairman, CRNC Midwest Regional Vice-Chair, and MIGOP Youth Vice-Chair simultaneously. While he is still involved in the youth politics of the Republican Party, Vitale has made inroads with the leadership as well, currently serving as the Treasurer of the 12^th District Party.

Most recently finishing in third place in a highly contested State House primary, Vitale has unsuccessfully sought public office on three occasions. He was heavily involved in former Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop’s race for Attorney General, as well as Rudy Giuliani’s primary campaign in 2008. He is sure to be involved in the upcoming election cycle, and we expect his influence to be felt around the state.

Ryan Wardin
Wardin worked with the Michigan Republican Party from February 2008 through the 2010 election.  As the Special Events Coordinator, he compiled voter information running up to the 2008 general election and took on greater responsibilities under MRP Chairman Ron Wiser in the 2010 cycle. The 2010 MRP convention was largely planned by Wardin, and while it has been widely acknowledged as a mess, the event was at a scale the state party had never seen before. Though ultimately over-ambitious, the experience he learned will undoubtedly prove useful in the future.

Wardin currently serves as the Legislative Director for state Representative Aric Nesbitt (R-80^th). But how long will he stay on the legislative side? A Romney supporter in ’08, Ryan could be an early hire for Mitt’s 2012 run.