In fight for control, Young Republican establishment faction elects competing slate of officers
The empire struck back today in the fight between warring factions of New Hampshire Young Republicans.
One week after a dissident faction met to elect officers, a second group of former members met today and elected a competing slate of officers. The two groups have been fighting for control since their April meeting ended in chaos and the group lost its charter.
State Rep. Joe Sweeney (R-Salem) was elected to chair the organization, which is seeking to be re-chartered by the Young Republican National Federation. The group selected former state House candidate Ben Tasker to be vice chair; outgoing treasurer Adam Lord was re-elected to the same position; and Zach Montanaro, field coordinator for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, is the group’s secretary.
Newly elected state Rep. Yvonne Dean-Bailey (R-Northwood) and Abraham Herrera, field representative with Commitments Kept NH, were elected to represent the group on the national committee.
This faction appears to have the backing of the party establishment. Matt Mayberry, the state party’s new vice chair took to Twitter to congratulate Sweeney and Dean-Bailey as soon as the results were announced. “Congrats to [Joe Sweeney] the new [NHYR] chair!” he wrote. “He’ll be great!!”
The Young Republican National Federation will likely be called on to sort it all out. Members of the warring factions each claim they have the backing of the national organization, as the following argument on Facebook between Tasker and Newmarket Republican Committee chair Joe Barton indicates.
“[Today’s meeting] doesn’t matter because it’s not sanctioned,” Barton wrote.
"Joe Barton that’s actually not true,” replied Tasker. “Go call the National Federation, they’ll tell you otherwise.”
"National federation told me the deadline to submit a petition was July 12th. And a petition has been submitted on the 11th,” Barton answered.
Tasker fired back, "That’s not what they told me. But I’m glad they gave Bob [Burns] bad info.”
“Maybe you talked to someone that didn’t know what they were talking about? suggested Barton.
“We’ll see!” replied Tasker.