History

CCR was founded on August 29, 1963 by Randolph Siefkin, Harold Phillips, William Nielsen, William Dillon, and Pete Wilson (who went on to serve as a US Senator from 1983-1991 and Governor of California from 1991-1999).

CCR split from the California Young Republican College Federation, also known as the California College Federation of Young Republicans, following an election dispute in 1962 and 1963. In 1962, the moderates and conservatives violently clashed, with Walter Driver of the conservatives stating six sergeant-at-arms "banged my head into a chair and my body into a wall." Harold Phillips of the moderates ultimately prevailed in the election as Chair.

In 1963, competing conventions of a conservative wing and a moderate wing each elected new Chairmen. Trent Devenney and Randy Siefkin each claimed legitimacy, with the California Young Republicans organization — at the time the parent organization of the college federation — set to recognize Devenney. At the same time, nationally, the College Republican groups began to break off from the Young Republican groups, where one would service students and the other would service young adults. Siefkin helped lead this split in California, taking his moderate wing of students with him to form CCR. CCR would go on to charter with the College Republican National Committee (CRNC) after it broke off from the Young Republican National Federation. The California Young Republican College Federation continued to exist as part of the California Young Republicans and the Young Republican National Federation until 1969, when they merged into CCR.

The 1963 mission statement of CCR read: "The specific and primary purposes for which this corporation is formed are to support the Republican party, to provide pleasure and recreation for the members, to encourage constructive thinking among young people and the development of their interest in good government, and to unite young people in the spirit of good fellowship to achieve these objectives."

1963 was not the only time CCR faced competing conventions and claims of legitimacy. In 1987, Fred Whitaker and Jim Michalski ran for Chairman. Whitaker was backed by the CRNC Chairman, and Michalski was backed by the California Republican Party. The state party eventually caved to the CRNC and agreed to recognize both groups as equal and legitimate until they were unified again around the time of CCR Chairman Thomas Hudson and the adoption of a new CCR Constitution.

Below you will find a historical archive of past CCR administrations in an effort to honor and learn from them. Formed by Communications Director Dylan Martin in 2019, the archive is maintained by the Communications Office and the Marketing Committee. Full history prior to 2017 is unknown, but filled in to the best of CCR’s knowledge. Click on an administration to learn more.