Parties take on youthful faces

Thurston County hasn't been a great place politically for Republicans in recent years. But a group of young GOP activists is trying to create a safe place for their political kin — similar to what young Democrats are doing.

Conlan McConnell and friends have co-founded a Young Republicans chapter aimed at both liberal Thurston and conservative Lewis counties. McConnell hopes it can start to dispel the idea that younger people are Democrats and all for Sen. Barack Obama.

"I think the main reason we're looking at forming right now, is you have a large upswell of young people following the campaign of Barack Obama. You get a lot of hype in the media about young people, and they see him as uplifting," Conlan McConnell said.

"The thing is, young conservatives don't get the kind of media coverage young Democrats have …. There is a group of young Republicans that is just as motivated in this next election as Young Democrats," McConnell added.

By contrast, Young Democrats have had a local chapter active around Olympia since about 2000. The Democrats are hoping to inject new life into their activities, and a kickoff meeting is planned for May 9, said Hillary Hunt, chairwoman of the Thurston County Young Democrats since 2005.

Both groups have a similar function: giving people a place they can talk politics — for those 18 to age 39 for the Republicans and those up to 35 for the Democrats. But it's also a place where future party activists get experience.

"It's kind of fun to get together with folks and just talk politics in a social setting. We'd like to set something up like that," Hunt said. "We'd like to break that rule of 'things you don't talk about in polite company, God and politics.' "

"The whole point of the Young Democrats is to give young people a place where they can lead within the party. If we have folks who want to step up, we absolutely want to give them an opportunity," Hunt added. "We've had an unprecedented turnout of young people at the precinct caucuses and county convention. Every single one of them will be hearing from us."

Hunt, who grew up in the Olympia home of Rep. Sam Hunt, said members of her group have gotten involved in politics locally, including Russ Olsen who ran for Lacey City Council; Jim Cooper who chairs the Democrats' 22nd Legislative District group; campaign manager Danielle Westbrook and activist Emmett O'Connell.

McConnell, an Olympia native who grew up in a conservative home, is the Young Republicans' president, and his girlfriend, Erica Winter, is vice president. Another participant is his sister, Haley McConnell, who is campaign manager for House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt's re-election campaign in the 20th Legislative District.

McConnell said their group plans a couple of meetings each month, with one devoted to an activity at "a golf course or driving range or a gun club. … The other meeting we have will be more like a town hall kind of meeting where we sit down and have like a dinner on a weeknight, probably at a restaurant."

Above all, McConnell said he wants to create something enjoyable for people, "not something where they'd be put on the spot but would be comfortable."

"We have quite a few people showing interest in it. We easily have 15 or 20 right now. … I think when we have all said and done we'll easily have 40 members," McConnell said.