Young Republicans Look to Channel Party Resurgence

The Young Republicans are excited.

Their party is in command of Bergen County for the first time in years. The club has new leadership, and yes, they can talk your ear off about politics, and they want to get as many Republicans elected as possible, but they also want to make it cool to be a Young Republican.

"It's more about generating excitement and getting young people involved," Nicole Poggi of Paramus, the club's treasurer, said.

To that end, the newly elected executive board of the Bergen County Young Republican Club is planning an event this weekend that will provide a test to see how energized the party's young people are after the successes of November. On Friday at 7 p.m. the Young Republicans are holding a "Fun Raiser" at the Iron Horse in Westwood.

The event costs $15 per person. There will be beer, appetizers and a cash bar for anything else.

"We're just trying to get a good group together," Daniel Dunay of Fair Lawn, the club's new chairman, said.

For now, the Young Republicans, ranging in age from 18 to 40, have a dedicated core of about 20 people, a number they hope to expand with events like the Fun Raiser. Many of its members have campaigned for Gov. Chris Christie and Freeholders John Driscoll and Robert Hermansen, but Dunay said the goal wasn't necessarily to attract people to make phone calls and hand out fliers and otherwise help Republican candidates get elected. 

It's also to bring people who simply want to interact with other Republicans into the fold.

"It's about camaraderie—just hanging out with like-minded people," Poggi said.

The hope is that that having an energized, young base in Bergen County, always an important battle ground in state politics, will lead to further success for the party and greater prominence for the club.

"We're very excited about the Republican resurgence in Bergen County and we're looking to continue that," David Avery of Englewood, the vice chairman of the club, said.

For more information on the Young Republican Club, check the club's Facebook page, e-mailinfo@bergenyoungrepublicans.com or call Dunay at (201) 873-8531.