A Message from NYSYR Chairman Christopher Dziedzic

There is no need to sugar coat this. This was not a fun election cycle for our party, at either the national, the state or the local level. And while we cannot deny the help that Democrats straight down the ticket received because of the celebrity status of Barack Obama, do not let anyone fool you into thinking that was the entire reason for our lack of success in November.

No, instead we have to face the reality of rebuilding the Grand Old Party from the bottom up.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was in Seneca Falls, meeting with a newly organizing Young Republican chapter in the Finger Lakes region. I was pleased to learn how the GOP county committee in Seneca County recently experienced some turn over, with new and energetic faces in charge. These new leaders are committed to rebuilding our party from the bottom up, and that includes the creation and support of a Young Republican chapter for their county.

Here in New York State, this means fighting our increasing enrollment disadvantage. This cannot be done by setting up mindless voter enrollment drives. There has to be a commitment to educate our fellow citizens as to what our party stands for and why those policies are best for New Yorkers.

Building Young Republican chapters in all 62 counties is an important part of that effort, as they can educate the younger portion of the electorate. I am proud that since early 2007, we’ve seen unprecedented growth in our organization with SEVEN newly credentialed county clubs. That is essential for the grassroots rebuilding that I am committed to in 2009.

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. When it comes to getting around the state to meet with newly organizing or long established Young Republican chapter around the state, “have car, will travel.”

A Message from NYSYR Chairman Chris Dziedzic

There have been lots of great things going on this summer with the New York State Young Republicans. The Saratoga County chapter hosted our SEVENTH Annual YR Day at the Races on Saturday, August 2nd. Our clubs in Onondaga and Oswego Counties coordinated a successful YR golf outing that took place on Saturday, July 19th.

Of course, we are also being contacted by numerous Assembly, Senatorial and Congressional campaigns about our involvement this fall.

Speaking of the fall campaign, many of our fellow Republicans were relishing the ongoing campaign of Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination despite the mathematical hurdles she faced. They were hoping for chaos and division at the Democratic national convention reminiscent of 1980.

That year, Ted Kennedy correctly thought that Carter was weak and vulnerable. He challenged him in a protracted primary battle that lasted into a contentious convention in Madison Square Garden. Carter was weak, but it wasn’t another liberal Democrat that would deliver the coup de grace, but the Republican nominee, Ronald Reagan.

Why had Hillary stayed in the race so long? I attribute it to her enormous ego and unhealthy passion to be elected President. Despite all of the unpleasant facts around her, for that overwhelming ambition of hers, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die. Her comments at one point suggested she’s hanging around waiting for someone to assassinate her opponent.

We cannot allow this set of circumstances to make us complacent, however, with the prospect of Republican successes this year. Instead we need to work hard, as we have started this summer, to ensure victory this fall.

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. Long after the signs come down… and the crowds stop cheering… and the bands stop playing… may it be said of him that he kept the faith of the NYSYR.

A Message from NYSYR Chairman Christopher Dziedzic

I initially intended to talk about our recent Leadership Conference in Albany featuring a fundraising class.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not take a few minutes and talk about Client #9 and the impact the recent scandal will have on New York State and the GOP.

On one level, this will be good for New York State. The removal of the antagonistic Spitzer should mean that the Second Floor will spend more time governing the state and less time trying to smear Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno with various allegations. That is good news for all New Yorkers.

On another level, this will also be good for the Republican Party. The Democrats, especially those in the Senate, have lost their primary fundraising cash cow. The Democratic Party will be in chaos for some time as the various leaders in the party jockey for positions. Silver, Cuomo and Paterson will each envision himself as the leaders of their party over the next couple of years.

The voters of New York have now seen two out of the four statewide elected officials from 2006 resign under the cloud of disgraceful and criminal scandal. That is not a good average. The Republican Party must effectively present a different model of responsible and proud governance.

We have an opportunity here, and we cannot let it pass. This fall, with the Democrats discredited and demoralized, we must work to strengthen our majority in the Senate and enlarge our numbers in the Assembly.

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. He will not be taking questions. Thank you very much. He will report back to you in short order. Thank you very much.

A Message from NYSYR Chairman Christopher Dziedzic

Battle stations, everyone! The first scene in the long contest with the Democrats in 2008 has been chosen.

It was the 48th Senatorial District in Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties.

Our candidate in that special election on February 26th was a strong one. Will Barclay is a long time friend of the Young Republicans and has a solid Republican voting record in the Assembly.

Last year, our state organization awarded Assemblyman Will Barclay the 2007 Wheeler Milmoe Award at our annual Teddy Roosevelt Dinner, naming him the Young Republican choice as Assemblyman of the Year.

It is because we are so excited about this campaign that we organized a targeted campaign weekend in Oswego, New York on Saturday, February 9th and 10th. We continue to find ways to put our resources behind this effort, and we have planned to spend NYSYR funds to feed and put up at local motels those Young Republicans who make the trip from around the state.

Regardless of what shadows are seen by any groundhog, I see many of my fellow YRs pitching in to help Will Barclay if he chooses to run again in November. In any case, whoever the Republican is, the NYSYR will work to bring eventual victory for the GOP so we can maintain a Republican majority in the State Senate and a two-party system in New York State. It’s a vision of success.

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. Send wedding, birthday party and bar mitzvah invitations to chairman@nysyr.us.

A Message from NYSYR Chairman Christopher Dziedzic

Happy New Year, my fellow Republicans!

As we enter into 2008, there are lots of reasons to be excited as a Republican in New York State.

First, Spitzer has disgraced himself with a couple of scandalous missteps.

There was Troopergate, an attempt to misuse the state troopers in order to smear Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. This boomeranged on him and disgraced members of his staff, leading to some high profile resignations.

Later, Spitzer overreached himself in Licensegate. This misguided attempt to issue driver’s licenses to illegal aliens was eventually withdrawn after widespread opposition.

December polls by both the Siena Research Institute and Quinnipiac University show the governor’s approval rating dropping below 40%. As the Democratic standard bearer in the state, this bodes well for our Assembly and Senate candidates in the autumn of 2008.

Also, we have multiple New Yorkers running in the presidential content. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani is one of the strong and viable candidates viable for the Republican nomination. Many Republicans can only imagine how much less blue our state would be wit a prominent fellow New Yorker on the top of the ballot. Our New York State Young Republican organization does not endorse individual primary candidates, but we do distribute information to our membership to help them get involved if and how they so choose. We were all honored to have representatives from five different presidential campaigns attend our Annual Holiday Dinner back in mid-December.

I am asking each of you to resolve as we begin the new calendar year, to work hard with me to help our entire Party throughout the year. It promises to be one of great opportunities, so let’s ensure it ends as one of our great successes.

Christopher Dziedzic, pleased by the return of the McRib, even if only for a limited time and only at selected locations, is the Chair of the NYSYR.

A Message from NYSYR Chairman, Christopher Dziedzic

We have been fond of saying for the last four years that the New York State Young Republicans and its efforts are only as strong as our constituent parts, namely the individual county chapters. Because that is certainly true, I am thrilled by the growth we have already seen, with FIVE newly credentialed county chapters in 2007 (Chemung, Ontario, Queens, Warren and Washington). I’m looking forward to continuing that growth throughout 2008. Among other things it means:

• Maintaining a commitment to travel around the state to meet with the officers of current Young Republicans county chapters and with the leaders of prospective Young Republican groups. In this age of modern media, cell phones and e-mail allow for convenient and cheap communication across the state. However, nothing can replace the proverbial road trip in establishing a good rapport with fellow YRs and showing them a commitment that the state organization exists for their benefit, and not the other way around.
• Continuing the $1,000 grant program by the State Chairman to county chapters to reimburse them for outlays towards membership recruitment activities. Over the past two years, the Young Republican clubs in Kings, Onondaga, Steuben, and Westchester counties have availed themselves of this opportunity to fund targeted mailings and hold membership recruitment events. Since our state organization is financially strong, our best use of funds is to reinvest them into our member clubs to make them stronger. We will be developing an action plan for those county chapters who are interested in utilizing this resource.
• Advertising county YR chapter events through our State YR venues to maximize outreach. The NYSYR has a variety of outlets in which we can advertise county chapter meetings and activities. We have our website, www.NYSYR.us, our listserv, NYSYR@yahoogroups.com, our blog, NYSYR.blogspot.com, and, of course, our newsletter, the GOPyr. A proven method of outreach to potential new members is posting information about upcoming county club events in these forums. Our current state officers will assist our county organizations with how best to employ these outlets to their advantage.

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. Send your criticisms and witticisms to chairman@nysyr.us.

A Message from NYSYR Chairman Christopher Dziedzic

Over the last couple of months, I have written at length about the plans of the new administration of the NYSYR that took office in May after our Biennial Convention. In our campaign platform we recognized that, "The continued success of the NYSYR, and in fact the entire Republican party, is based upon victory in three ongoing battles. We must be able to contribute significantly to the battle of numbers, the battle of wallets, and the battle of ideas.”

I have taken some time to discuss the battle of numbers and the battle of wallets in the last two editions of the GOPyr. This month I want to talk about the battle of ideas and the role of the NYSYR in it.

I think as activists and candidates, we have come across those in our own party who are not as well equipped as they should be for leadership. We have also come across as candidates who may not be as informed as they should be to be effective campaigners or office holders. We all want successful election results after a couple of heart wrenching campaign cycles in New York State. One of the best ways to ensure those victories in the fall of 2007, the fall of 2008 and beyond, is by ensuring our candidates, and the campaign staffers who work with them are the best trained and the best informed. Do they know the right message on the issues? Do they know how to target the right voters who will turn out to vote? Do they know the right sources for fundraising?

One of the steps the NYSYR is taking to further our efforts in the battle of ideas is by organizing and hosting a leadership conference for early 2008. We are excited to be working to bring a series of highly qualified and motivating speakers into New York, to train not only the Young Republicans, but any of our friends and colleagues. By imparting key knowledge and a blueprint for success, the NYSYR plans to be on the forefront of the Republican groundswell of success over the next couple of years. I hope you will join us in that effort!

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. Send your questions, comments, and attempted explanations for the Scott Kazmir – Victor Zambrano trade to chairman@nysyr.us.

A Message from NYSYR Chairman Christopher Dziedzic

Last month, I started to expand on some of the main goals the current Executive Board has for the NYSYR. Earlier this year, I wrote that, "The continued success of the NYSYR, and in fact the entire Republican party, is based upon victory in three ongoing battles. We must be able to contribute significantly to the battle of numbers, the battle of wallets, and the battle of ideas.”

It is nice rhetoric, but how do Young Republicans put it into practice? How does the NYSYR contribute significantly to Republican efforts in the "battle of wallets?" We do it with the financial support of our Republican candidates.

During the 2006 election cycle, I am proud that our organization was able to hold successful fundraising events for our statewide Republican candidates that generated roughly $8,000 for gubernatorial candidate John Faso and approximately $6,000 for comptroller candidate, Chris Callaghan.

We also made significant donations to a variety of fellow Young Republicans who ran for office themselves. Congressional candidates Richard Hoffman and Italo Zanzi, State Senate candidates Flip Pidot and Viviana Hernandez, State Assembly candidates Yvette Bennett, Bill Faulk, Robert Heim, Patricia Laudano, Marcus Molinaro, Dan Panico, Chemung County Legislature candidate Chris Friend, and, in my own Town of Wappinger, Council candidate William Beale all received support in their bids—many of them successful.

However, as a wise man once said, any fool can spend money; it takes someone with smarts to raise money. As Young Republicans, we need to give a great deal of credit to former NYSYR Chair Jason Weingartner (2003-2007) who helped change the culture of the organization to one that aggressively fundraises. Jason instituted a pair of annual events to serve as fundraisers for our state federation. The Annual Holiday Dinner in Manhattan each December and the Annual Day at the Races in Saratoga Springs each August have successfully established revenue streams to give the NYSYR the solid financial foundation to take part in “the battle of wallets.” I have sought to build upon that developing a third annual fundraising event, an Annual Golf Outing, that we held in late May.

I’m enthusiastic about our financial strength and would encourage all of our county chapters to look at various fundraising options to establish themselves as local powerhouses, just as the NYSYR is now a statewide powerhouse.

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. Send your questions, comments, suggestions and great chili recipes to chairman@nysyr.us.

A Message from NYSYR Chairman Christopher Dziedzic

I am very excited to see the return of the GOPYR newsletter. This was a labor of love for Brian Graybow for a couple of years. With his recent elevation to NYSYR Chief of Staff, I am grateful that Jonathan Judge has volunteered to step in with his experience and creative ideas as the new Editor-in-Chief.

When Jonathan asked me to pen a few words for this issue, I thought this would be an appropriate time to expand on some of the main goals the current Executive Board has for the NYSYR. Early in 2007, when I announced my candidacy for State Chair, I spoke of how, "The continued success of the NYSYR, and in fact the entire Republican party, is based upon victory in three ongoing battles. We must be able to contribute significantly to the battle of numbers, the battle of wallets, and the battle of ideas.”

But what does that actually mean? How does the NYSYR contribute significantly to Republican efforts in the "battle of numbers?" The first, and most obvious, way our organization contributes is by getting bodies out on the streets in targeted election efforts.

Looking at 2007 alone, we can be proud of our additions to the special election efforts in Senate District 7 in Nassau County, Assembly Districts 61 and 62 in Richmond County and, most recently, Assembly District 105 in Montgomery and Schenectady Counties. For the fall, we plan to build on these efforts with similar targeted campaign weekends throughout September and October. We know, in hotly contested local races, that the energy and enthusiasm of a block of Young Republican volunteers can infect a campaign down the home stretch.

The “battle of numbers”is not only about providing volunteers. It is also about ensuring we have strong, viable candidates for all levels of office on our party line. Young Republicans are now at the forefront. Whether as candidates for United States Congress, New York State Assembly, county or municipal office, Young Republicans are stepping forward. As is often said, we are not the future of the party, we are the present of the party. And our continuing contributions on multiple levels in the “battle of numbers” is evidence of that.

Christopher Dziedzic is the Chair of the NYSYR. When all of his political work is done, he falls to sleep dreaming of a rotation of Drabek, Deshaies, and Tewksbury pitching the Yanks to a couple of pennants in the late 1980s.