NRCC Announces First Round of Young Gun Candidates

May 12, 2014

10 Candidates Named to the Third and Final Level of the Young Guns Program

WASHINGTON – The National Republican Congressional Committee announced today that 10 Republican candidates have reached ‘Young Gun’ status, the top tier of the Committee’s three-level recruitment program. These candidates have reached the third and final level by establishing a clear path to victory through their ability to build a formidable campaign structure and achieve important goals and benchmarks.

“Candidates that reach ‘Young Gun’ status have met a series of rigorous goals that will put them in a position to win on Election Day,” said NRCC Chairman Greg Walden. “Our job as a committee is to help elect Republicans to office that will serve as a check and balance on the Obama Administration. These 10 candidates have outlined conservative principles that will grow jobs, stop the harmful effects of ObamaCare, and get Washington’s spending under control. I am confident that these candidates will continue to advocate for hardworking families in their respective districts through the November Elections.”

Originally founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Budget Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), the Young Guns program supports and mentors challenger and open-seat candidates in races across the country. Officially an NRCC effort for the past 2 election cycles, the program requires its candidates to work towards specific goals and meet benchmarks throughout the year to ensure their continued participation in the program. In the 2012 election cycle, the program helped to elect 35 new Republican Members to the 113th Congress.

The NRCC’s First Round of ‘Young Gun’ Candidates are:

Martha McSally (AZ-02)
Carlos Curbelo (FL-26)
Bob Dold (IL-10)
Mike Bost (IL-12)
Richard Tisei (MA-06)
Torrey Westrom (MN-07)
Stewart Mills (MN-08)
Ryan Costello (PA-06)
Barbara Comstock (VA-10)
Evan Jenkins (WV-03)

Click here for more information about the program and the candidates.