Representatives from the Republican Youth Majority (RYM) have been stationed in White Plaza to raise student awareness about the organization’s centrist political stance and establish a campus branch independent from the Stanford College Republicans (SCR). These efforts have been met with resistance from the leaders of SCR.

The RYM, a national organization funded by private donations, promotes political views that are not consistent with the traditional platform of the mainstream Republican Party. Instead, the group promotes the expansion of GOP membership among college-age voters through the adoption of moderate stances on such social issues as abortion, environmental protection and gun control.

“Our primary goal is to broaden the tent of the Republican Party and make it more inclusive,” said Kelli Payne, one of the RYM’s field representatives. “I think it’s realistic that we can gain new Republican support on a campus with a pronounced Democratic majority. It’s also realistic to know that great movements must endure resistance and take time. We’re here to reach out to those students who would otherwise not feel welcomed into the Republican Party.”

However, sophomore Bob Sensenbrenner, vice president of the SRC, said the installation of a new Republican group at Stanford is factious, redundant and unnecessary because his organization is already representation of the multiple viewpoints within the party. Sensenbrenner also said he dislikes the fact that the RYM announced its intentions to create a separate group on campus in The Daily on Feb. 6 without consulting with his group beforehand.

“We would be more than happy to appoint a liaison to work with the RYM — a step which we have done with many campaigns and other external political organizations in the past,” he said. “In the article that ran in The Daily, the RYM representatives stated that students have a negative perception of our organization. This exhibits the naivete of the RYM field representatives; being on campus a week hardly qualifies one to accurately assess the political viewpoints on campus.”

In an op-ed piece that ran in The Daily on Feb. 10 in response to the SCR’s objections, Payne and fellow field representative Yolanda Vazquez reiterated their organization’s intentions to create a branch on campus independent of the SCR and chastised Sensenbrenner for his response to their decision. Payne, however, said she hopes that the two groups can now work together as they have common goals for their party.

“We are eager to work with their organization, but it’s just as critical to have the Stanford College Republicans welcome members of all ideologies,” she said. “Any misunderstandings between our group and the SCR have been cleared up; we have engaged in further discussion with the SCR and now feel comfortable in our relationship.”

Junior Stephen Cohen, editor of The Stanford Review, the campus’ conservative newspaper, said he sees benefits in having multiple Republican groups on campus if the two can find common ground.

“The RYM could potentially cause a rift in the conservatives at Stanford if their aggressive tactics continue,” Cohen said. “But both groups at their core have the same goal — to expand the base of the Republican Party. This shared vision should enable these two groups to work their common ground and turn these recent conflicts into a thing of the past. An influx of new ideas and fresh perspectives from outside the Stanford bubble can only serve to increase the diversity of campus perspectives.”

However, regarding the RYM’s right to distribute leaflets in White Plaza, Sensenbrenner said that because the representatives are from an outside organization working independently from the SCR, they are subject to University policy restricting solicitation by non-campus groups on the plaza.

“If a student were to file a compliant about their recruiting in White Plaza, the RYM would be non-compliant with University policy regarding solicitation from outside groups and would be forced to leave,” Sensenbrenner said. “The SCR as an organization has no objection to the RYM’s tabling. Individual members, however, could act on their own behalf and file a complaint.”

The RYM is also working on establishing a base at UC-Berkeley; its primary support is in campuses on the East Coast. Payne said she hopes to have the Stanford branch of the RYM registered and running by the beginning of spring quarter with an ideal starting membership of 20 students.

“Students in general have been very supportive of us,” she said. “Before we hand out our leaflets to students in White Plaza, we ask for their permission as we don’t want to invade their personal space. I’ve had students approach the RYM table in White Plaza and tell me they’re secretly Republicans. We also have students who would not have joined a Republican organization were it not for the fact that the RYM promotes an inclusive platform.”

In an effort to establish their base on campus, the RYM is planning to host a political internship fair Feb. 21 and is currently offering students free rides and lodging for the California Republican Convention in Burlingame Feb. 20 to 22.

Sensenbrenner said his organization will not shift its political positions in response to the RYM’s actions on campus and hopes that the establishment of the chapter will not fracture the Republican base on campus.

“I think Abraham Lincoln put it best, ‘A house divided cannot stand,’” Sensenbrenner said. “We at the SCR fear that the RYM may polarize the party on campus and divide our members into factions. As any elementary economics student knows, resources are scarce. Student political interest is a resource at Stanford and it’s necessary to resist the establishment of another Republican group by an outside organization.”