From June 24th-26th 2022, College Republicans United held its first national convention hosted by the California College Republicans in Las Vegas Nevada. College Republicans United had the honor and privilege of hosting dignitaries from Italy’s Lega Party and France’s National Rally who spoke about issues in Europe that are all too familiar in the United States, as well as coordinating activities of national conservative populists from across the Atlantic with the Institute for Western Thought.
In attendance was Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio who was met by Luca Toccalini, a member of the Italian Parliament to personally present Arpaio with the prestigious Italian meritorious service award expressing gratitude for his 50 years of international law enforcement cooperation and his fight against the mafia, drugs, and illegal immigration around the world, including the United States of America. Arpaio became emotional when receiving the award because of significant recent events including his 90th birthday (born on Flag Day, June 14th, 1932), which was attended by 250 friends and family. “I’m very proud that my mother and father came from Avellino, Italy arriving in the United States of America in 1926. When I was born, a medical complication threatened the life of my mother, but she refused an abortion, and died while giving birth to me. When my mother gave her life for me, I came to understand that life is precious and a gift from above.” Arpaio said.
The International Secretary of Italy’s youth wing, Lega Giovani, Davide Quadri affirmed that the two days was an opportunity not only to understand the future scenarios that will come out of the mid-term but also an opportunity to talk about a possible re-nomination of Donald Trump to the next presidential election. Trump who has never left the scene and who, thanks also to the victories of the candidates supported by him in the individual states, can present himself in the 2024 elections with a stronger and more “Trumpian” Grand Old Party. In a note, the Italians read that “The League was the only Italian party invited to the republican convention. This demonstrates the centrality of our movement as the glue of all those sovereign and identity realities that share the fundamental values on which our societies were born”
During the two days in Las Vegas, organized by the College Republican United, the immigration problem was also discussed. Both with regard to the question of the “caravans” of migrants arriving from South America; both for Biden’s initiative which had decided to eliminate Title 42 which provided for the possibility of expelling an immigrant who had committed a crime. Act, that of the current president, who however found the stop by a judge from Louisiana. The two days were also an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two movements, that of the Youth League and the US Young Republicans. “In recent years, as Lega Giovani, we have built and strengthened relations with our counterparts in the US Republican Party – says Quadri – it is not just a political relationship but also friendship and mutual cooperation. Our presence at the Convention of the College Republicans United in Las Vegas has allowed the Youth League to strengthen the international network that brings together all the conservative and identity movements ”.
Also in attendance were conservative commentators and activists such as John Doyle, John Birch Society’s Lisa Von Geldern, Nevada candidate for Secretary of State James Marchant, as well as from other Republican organizations across the state of California and across the country. The finale featured a formal agreement of collaboration and alliance between the French National Rally’s and Italian Lega youth wings with College Republicans United, representing the first international agreement of its kind in over twenty-five years.