The 2005 Texas Young Republican Federation Convention took place this weekend in Houston. I didn't make it to the Hilton Americas in time for the Site Selection Committee meeting but did manage to show up to officially confirm our desire to host the 2006 TYRF convention in Dallas. The convention officially voted for Dallas to be the convention site for 2006 on Saturday morning session.

There were two business sessions, morning and afternoon, took place at the South College of Law in downtown, a few blocks from the Hilton Americas. Rex Lamb of Houston YR ran unopposed and was elected the new TYRF chairman. J. Paul Knight of Bexar County YR ran unopposed and was elected TYRF vice-chair. The race for finance chair was a contested one between Josh Tetens of the Heart of Texas (Waco area) YR and Joseph Bain of Austin YR. Josh was elected with an overwhelming majority. Kenda Culpepper, president of the Rockwall county YR, a newly federated club, ran unopposed and was elected TYRF secretary. Scott Jauregui ran unopposed and was elected treasurer. Claire Koch of our Dallas YR club ran unopposed and was elected the TYRF national committeewoman. The TYRF national committeeman was the only other contested race between J. Shane Howard, president of the Southeast YR and William England, president of the Austin YR. Shane was elected with an overwhelming majority of the votes. John Fowler of our Dallas YR ran unopposed and was re-elected TYRF Director of Club Development.

We heard from Peter Ferrara of the Institute for Policy Innovation on Social Security reform during lunch. Afterward, there were four breakout sessions with topics ranges: a) Media training: how to deal with local media, print, TV and radio as well as the internet with Doug Miller of KHOU, John Williams, formerly of the Houston Chronicles, and Dr. Bobby Eberle of GOPUSA.com, b) How to be a candidate with the honorable Michael Berry, Houston city councilman at-large place 5, c) Fundraising, maximize your earning potential with Elizabeth Blakemore of Blakemore & Associates, d) Washington, DC: how to land a job and survive with Angela Hernandez, who works in the Office of White House Correspondence. You can pick two out of four; I went for Media and Fundraising.