National group chooses sides in standoff between rival N.H. Young Republican factions
The New Hampshire Young Republican faction led by two-time Executive Council nominee Bob Burns reports the Young Republican National Federation voted overwhelmingly to approve its charter as the state’s official Young Republican organization.
Burns posted a photo of his YRNF convention badge on Facebook which identifies Burns as the New Hampshire state chairman. “Doesn’t get more official than that,” he wrote.
Behind the scenes skirmishes between the rival factions continue. The NHYR state political committee, which listed Burns as chair, has disappeared from the Secretary of State’s website and its @NewHampshireYR Twitter account has been suspended.
The state GOP website identifies state Rep. Joe Sweeney, leader of the rival faction, as Young Republican chair and member of the Executive Committee. It remains to be seen whether the party will now accept Burns as chair.
As Huffington Post reported, the drama all began in April when the party inserted itself into the Young Republican credentialing process just prior to the group’s annual meeting.
At that time, an attorney representing the party acknowledged the groups are separate in “internal governance and national affiliation” but warned that the party “reserves the right“ not to seat the Young Republican chair on the Executive Committee for “material procedural irregularities or defects in the election process.”