“You are welcomed in our party,” McDaniel said on Jan. 29 at Wells Hall.

In her Q&A format style speech, McDaniel acknowledged students could get involved and register to vote in the 2020 election.

“If you don’t get involved, you don’t have a voice,” said McDaniel. “At your age, what you’re doing now and getting involved and recognizing the importance of what government does in your lives and the effect it has on your lives is so critical.”

As a Michigan native and former chair of the Michigan Republican Party, McDaniel highlighted Michigan as a crucial swing state. McDaniel’s role as Michigan chair was crucial to Donald Trump’s winning of Michigan in the 2016 election.

When Reince Priebus got hired as the White House Chief of Staff, this allowed an opening for the RNC chair position. McDaniel was appointed by Trump in November 2016 and became the second woman to hold the position. MSU alum Laura Cox took over McDaniel’s former role as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.

“I really felt like we were a state that deserved to be heard, and presidential candidates were not coming to our state,” McDaniel said. “So, my role when I became Michigan chair ... was we were going to make Michigan competitive presidentially.”

McDaniel, the niece of 2012 Republican nominee for president and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, emphasized the need to be inclusive. 

“If you don’t like the Republican Party, help fix it, be part of fixing it. That is the invitation I give to everybody,” said the chairwoman.

McDaniel said she hopes to bring unity between the two-party system, which she said is the most divisive it has ever been. 

“If you agree with me 80% of the time, 50% of the time, I don’t care. I want you to be a part of my party,” McDaniel said.

Paul Stephens, the youth vice chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, commented on the success MSU College Republicans.

“The College Republicans here are an incredibly strong group, one of the best in the state and actually one of the best in the midwest," Stephens said.

College Republicans member Lee Belding spoke to his experience of being an engaged Republican student within the MSU community. 

“It’s nice to know that the Republican National Committee and people like our great chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, recognize that, and that they’re here to help that in Michigan,” Belding said.

MSU College Republicans meet every other Tuesday at Wells Hall. The next speaker in the series is yet to be determined.