Boston University student David Carl was recently named chairman of the Massachusetts Alliance of College Republicans [MACR], an organization with more than 3,000 members and many university chapters around Boston.
Carl, a junior in the School of Management, held many political positions prior to his appointment as chairman, including vice president and president of the BU College Republicans, and also represented the Boston Metro Region on the MACR State Executive Board.
Looking to promote growth within the union, Carl is optimistic about the MACR’s future.
“I hope to expand the organization to over 5,000 members statewide by the November election,” Carl said.
Carl said the election process proved to be a long, time-consuming endeavor.
“We began to prepare for the race three months in advance. The campaign process was practically a full-time job,” he said.
However, after a strong show of support from many Boston-area College Republicans chapters, Carl’s competitors withdrew, leaving him with the committee’s unanimous vote.
Furthermore, Carl’s guidance has helped local colleges establish new chapters, including ones at Bentley College, Suffolk University and Framingham State College, as well as a revamp of a former club at MIT.
The MACR, which mainly serves to supply local campaigns with volunteers and to register college students to vote, has seen steady growth over the past few years. Carl said he hopes he can continue the trend.
“By next April I hope that our operating budget will have exceeded $50,000,” he said.
Additionally, with the high number of out-of-state college students in Boston, the MACR is working to register thousands of absentee voters in time for the November elections, Carl said.
College Republicans has gained 700 recruits in the past month and supplied volunteers to more than a dozen campaigns statewide, including those of Mitt Romney and Kerry Healey, and has gained outside support, Carl said.
“For the past month, the MACR has employed a full-time paid field director from Washington, D.C. to travel across our state and recruit new College Republican members on campuses throughout Massachusetts,” Carl pointed out.
Carl said he became aware of his political affiliation at an early age, despite certain aspects of his upbringing.
“I grew up in a decidedly liberal home,” he said, “but soon I began to realize that it was the Republicans, not the Democrats, who supported my views.
“I’ve always believed in fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, the right to keep and bear arms, and personal accountability,” he said.
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