Alex:  It went great.  I was at the Reagan Roundup put on by the Wayne 15th group.  They had over 100 people in attendance.  That's a big crowd for them.  They also had just about every candidate running for state-wide positions there as well.

Kevin:  So, would you call it an energized group of Republicans in the MDP's backyard?

Alex:  Yes definitely.  They are ready to for 2012 in what we all hope will be another good year.

Kevin:  Now MI-15 has been a Dingell seat since its creation in 1932, either John sr. or John jr.  MIGOP almost flipped it in 2010; what do you think the odds are that we can boot Dingellsaurus in 12?

Alex:  I think that it will be hard to do, but with a strong youth coalition knocking on doors and making phone calls we might just do it.

Kevin:  And that brings me to my first scripted question:  You're running for MIGOP Youth Vice-Chair.  What does a Youth Vice-Chair do?

Alex:  The Youth Chair oversees the Teenage Republican, College Republican, and Young Republican Chapters in Michigan.  The Youth Chair is supposed to help current chapters expand their membership while working in areas that don't have chapters to get them started.  The Youth Chair is also supposed to push the youth to help out our candidates that need help, even if that candidate is not in their district.

Kevin:  And I see here that you've been involved in Mid-Michigan politics since about the age of 14.  Tell me something about that that isn't necessarily in the bio sheet.

Alex:  Well I've been involved since I was 11 years old.  My dad always told me that I don't have a right to complain about the way my town, state, or country is ran unless I do something to change it.  One of the first candidates I knocked on doors for was now Senator Dave Robertson when he was running for State Representative.  I also got my first dose of convention politics as a candidate when I was 16, except it wasn't within the Republican Party.

I was actively involved in an organization called Business Professionals of America, ran to be Michigan's Vice President of the organization, and won in a convention battle.  The next year I ran for the National President position, flew out to California to campaign, and gave speeches in front of 10,000 high school and college students.  I lost that year by less than 50 votes, but ran a year later and was elected the National Parliamentarian.

Kevin:  I think that's probably an impressive feat for someone so young.  I also noticed in your bio that you did some campaign work for our new AG, Bill Schuette.  Tell me about that.

Alex:  Thank you.  Yes, I worked for Mr. Schuette for a year.  I was actually the first official person he hired on his campaign.  He happened to stop into the Midland GOP meeting and I was giving a speech on the importance of getting youth involved.  Afterwards he pulled me aside and mentioned a possibility of me working for him.  My official interview with him was a week or so later when he asked me to drive him down to Lansing for a meeting.  That day he offered me the job.

I started off just being Bill's driver and ended up taking on more.  I moved onto being his advance person for events and also was the Chair of his state-wide youth coalition, helping to find young volunteers to help out at his numerous events and fundraisers.  I learned a lot working for Bill and he is now a friend and mentor that I call on for advice from time to time.

Kevin:  So, how do you think your experience has helped prepare you for the role of Youth Vice-Chair?

Alex:  It has greatly prepared me.  I learned how to build and recruit small armies of young people on a state-wide level, which is something that must be done in order to win in 2012.  I also have been able to build relationships with people who will be willing to help fund a youth movement.  In 2012 we need someone with experience leading the way for the youth, and I have 13 years of experience fighting for our party's conservative values and candidates along with working with now hundreds of young people.

I also have experience building organizations.  In 2008 I founded the Midland County Young Republicans and built the organization to 23 active members who criss-crossed the state with me helping out candidates from city council candidates in the city of Flint to our newly elected Governor.

Kevin:  Which brings me to scripted question # 3.  Assuming you're elected to the post you seek, how do you see yourself advancing the MIGOP strategy for the 2012 election cycle?

Alex:  Well first off the MIGOP needs to develop a youth strategy.  In my speech that I gave tonight I talked about the importance of reaching out to youth now instead of waiting until the final two weeks of the campaign, which usually happens.  If elected I plan on sitting down with youth leaders from across the state and working out a strategy what we are going to do as a team to win in 2012.

Also part of my plan is to start speaking in high school government classes about the importance of getting involved in the political process.  If they have a Republican elected State Representative or Senator, I will try to bring them in as well.  I want the youth in our liberal school systems to know that Republicans are not mean, evil people that their teachers may try to make us out to be.  After talking with them I will pass along a contact sheet asking them to fill it out, if they are interested in getting involved, to get key information from them to pass along to our county and district chairs as well as our candidates.

Kevin:  So, build them into the volunteer database while they're still in high school.

Alex:  Yes.

Kevin:  If I'm correct, then your opponent for Youth Vice-Chair, Sarah Ledford, was also at the Wayne County event.  Her battle plan for 2012 is fairly impressive.  What would you do that isn't part of her strategy?

Alex:  I would focus more on the Teenage Republicans instead of waiting to engage them until they are in college.  I also am going to encourage our youth chapters to get involved in their community such as putting on food drives, working with local charities, and mentoring other youth.  The youth can change the image that many people have that the Republican Party is a party of rich, old, white men who don't care about anyone.  These are things that Sarah does not touch on.

These are also things that I have done in the past with my County YR Chapter.  I will also be doing this at the State Convention, where I am asking everyone to bring non-perishable food items to donate to God's Kitchen in Grand Rapids and also to make monetary donations to the Children's Miracle Network of Michigan.

Kevin:  Just so the readers can have a frame of reference, God's Kitchen is a cafeteria that caters to Grand Rapids' homeless population; and the Children's Miracle Network centers around the DeVos Children's Hospital.

Alex:  Yes, God's Kitchen is a cafeteria that caters to Grand Rapids' homeless population.  Children's Miracle Network actually has numerous hospitals that it works with.  Michigan is split into regions and each region has a hospital.  In the Grand Rapids area it is the DeVos Children's Hospital, but in Mid-Michigan it is Hurley Medical Center in Flint.

Kevin:  Hey, the hospital where I was born!

Alex:  My mom actually used to be an LPN nurse at Hurley delivering new born babies.

Kevin:  If it was in 1964, we may have a connection.  But back to topic, is there anything in your professional, educational, or political experience that you think uniquely qualifies you in an area where Ms. Ledford may not be as strong?

Alex:  I have a marketing and promotions background that will help me be able to better market our party and values to the next generation.  I also am someone who for many years has been a grunt worker for the party.  This past cycle I knocked on over 13,000 doors and made over 6,000 phone calls for our candidates.  I am a firm believer that you cannot ask someone to knock on doors or make phone calls if you don't do it, and if you're not out doing it with them.

Also having helped so many candidates I have built relationships with them and am a person that they trust.  They know they can go to for help when their race is close and they know I will come through for them because I have done it in the past.  That is something vital in any Vice Chair position.  Someone that people trust and someone who follows through on what they say they will do.

Kevin:  Okay, a hot topic this week (for many reasons) has been Governor Snyder's very first State of the State address, delivered this past Wednesday.  Your impression?

Alex:  I had the privilege of being able to watch firsthand Governor Snyder's first State of the State address.  He laid out a bold vision for Michigan, one that help put Michigan back on the right track.  Governor Snyder sees the same problems that the youth in Michigan sees and the same consequences if nothing is done to fix those problems.  Governor Snyder's insistence on bringing about serious change is exactly the sort of responsible leadership we need in Michigan.  Our elected officials have already begun work on many of the reforms the governor mentioned.

Snyder said that there are no more easy answers.  Making the changes necessary to bring Michigan back will take honesty and a willingness to make difficult decisions.  Michigan needs to be competitive with our neighboring states to create jobs so our youth, most importantly our Republican Youth, can find jobs here instead of having to move away from their friends and families.

Kevin:  And yet, here on RightMichigan, there's a blog post and lengthy comment thread that does a fairly thorough job of dissecting that address.  Much of the criticism is targeted at two things:  One, that Gov. Snyder advocates for government expansion (a criticism also leveled by the Mackinac Center) when what we need is government contraction.  Two, that Gov. Snyder didn't substantively address any of the structural issues that are facing this state right now.  Any thoughts on that?

Alex:  I think that Governor Snyder is going to do a fine job on getting rid of regulations and burdensome taxes like the job killing MBT.  I think government will shrink there.  Are there more areas where we can shrink government?  I'm sure there is.  I think that Governor Snyder has been in office for less than one month and we need to give him a little time and let him focus on one thing at a time.  And the first thing that needs to happen is to bring more jobs into Michigan.

Kevin:  Which, according to many, is best accomplished by getting the government out of where it doesn't belong, and letting the private sector do the heavy lifting.  In fact, that's been the recurring theme of the heaviest criticisms against Gov. Snyder's predecessor, Gov. Granholm.  How concerned are you about the feedback from MDP Chairman, Mark Brewer, that about 80% of Gov. Snyder's address could have been delivered by a Democrat?

Alex:  I am concerned.  When it comes to Snyder's comments on his healthier living initiative, I think that our government does not have any business getting involved in anyone's personal lives.  When it comes to Snyder wanting to build another bridge to Canada, I think he is wasting money.  We do not need another bridge to Canada.

Kevin:  So let's talk about a movement that, contrary to what the left would have us believe, isn't going away any time soon.  What's your impression of the rise of the tea party movement and its impact on Republican Party politics?

Alex:  I think the tea party movement is great.  I like the fact that this last election I saw more volunteers then I ever have.  I like that the tea party movement is forcing our candidate and elected officials to stay true to limited government, fiscal responsibility and our elected officials representing the people of their districts and not special interests.

When I was down in Lenawee County working with Representative Jenkins campaign I got to work closely with the Lenawee 9/12 group, and they were a huge help in getting Nancy elected.  In 2 months the campaign knocked on 17,000 doors, and the 9/12 group probably knocked on 6,000 of those doors on their own.  I've been telling people around the state that when the tea party movement and the GOP work together for a conservative candidate they are an unstoppable force.  They proved that with Rep. Jenkins race.  No one really thought she could win, and those who did thought she would win with 50.5% of the vote.  But because the tea party and the GOP worked together we pulled off an upset there and won with 56% of the vote; she was the top vote getter in the county.

Kevin:  The tea party movement is, so far as I know, aware that any substantive success politically has to be accomplished within the framework of the Republican Party.  But many have a running problem with what they view as "moderates" or "centrists" -- RINOs if you will -- still in positions of control and influence within the GOP, whether as elected officials or as party officers.  How do you think that should be constructively addressed?

Alex:  I think the tea party movement is going to have to pick their battles.  In some areas yes, a conservative can get elected over a moderate republican.  In others though, maybe we might have to learn to live with a moderate because that's all that can be elected in that area and that is better than the liberal running.  For instance a true conservative would have about a 5% chance of getting elected in Flint whereas a more moderate republican might have a 40% chance of winning in Flint over a liberal.  Now in someplace like Midland that conservative would have an 80% of getting elected and so the conservative should be the candidate.

I think many in the tea party movement are starting to realize this.

Kevin:  Okay, but I think that all of the member organizations of the Michigan Tea Party Patriot Alliance are organized as 527 groups, which means that they really aren't allowed to do any endorsing.  What are your thoughts on the Independence Caucus of Michigan, which is a PAC allied with the MTPPA?

Alex:  I think the Independence Caucus is great.  They play a role researching candidates and letting the voters know which candidate is an actual conservative.  To me this is important to many voters.

Kevin:  Would you recommend that MIGOP adopt as a policy a requirement that any candidate seeking state party support complete the I-Caucus vetting process?

Alex:  I would not only because I don't like there to be requirements of any candidate.  If a candidate makes it through the primary, then MIGOP has a duty to help that candidate win, and I firmly believe MIGOP should not be getting involved in primaries; so there wouldn't be a need to force a candidate to complete the vetting process.  However if elected as Youth Chair I will strongly encourage candidates to go through the vetting process.

Kevin:  Fair enough.  Okay, 2012 is (we believe) the year we get to "pink slip" Senator Debbie Stabenow.  I've heard somewhere in the immediate vicinity of a half-dozen names circulating as potential Republican challengers.  Do you have any thoughts on who should be that challenger?

Alex:  I actually do not have any thoughts on who should be the challenger.  I actually have made a pledge that if I win this position I will not be making any endorsements in the primary.  I feel that my job is to help whoever comes out of the primary and to best be able to help that person I need his/her trust.  I feel that if I endorse a candidate who does not win the winner may have a hard time trusting me to help him/her win.  Plus I don't think that State Party officials should be meddling in primaries.

Kevin:  Okay, are you willing to share any thoughts on who you think might be a solid choice to run against President Obama?

Alex:  I think we have a great line of possible challengers to Obama.  They have their strengths and weaknesses.  I can tell you that in 2008 I worked as an intern for Governor Romney's campaign and think he is a great person.  I have not met any of the other candidates personally, but any of them would do a better job then President Obama is right now.

Kevin:  And you know there's going to be some debate about that in the coming months.  Okay, one more question before we ask for the sale:  Right now, the Michigan HealthCare Freedom Initiative, the Michigan Right-To-Work Proposal, and the Michigan FairTax Proposal are all being discussed as potential ballot initiatives for 2012.  What are your thoughts on any of them, or do you think something else might make a better 2012 ballot initiative?

Alex:  I am supportive of the Michigan Right-To-Work Proposal and would cast my vote in favor of it.  I think that we should only have one of them on the ballot at a time.  I think if we have all three items on the ballot at once it will be harder to pass them all.

Kevin:  But would you support the others if they were on the ballot?

Alex:  Yes I would

Kevin:  Okay, time to ask for the sale.  As a Convention Delegate, why should I vote for you?  Your closing arguments, Mr. Clark.

Alex:  You should vote for me because as your Youth Chair I will work tirelessly to build a youth coalition that will be able to compete and win against the Obama Machine in 2012.  Most importantly we need a youth coalition that will stand up and speak out for our elected officials who make those tough decisions to reinvent Michigan.  Making those decisions is easier on them when they are not standing alone and they have an army of youth urging them to keep reforming the taxes, regulations and government spending that hold us back.

Now is the time to focus on the youth.  Now is the time for the Republican Party to stop kicking the can down the road to next year when it comes to getting youth involved.  Now is the time to usher in a new brand of youth politics and a new brand of republican leadership and with your support together we can build a stronger Republican Party and a stronger Michigan.

Kevin:  Thank you very much for your time, sir.  I know it's been a long day for you.

Alex:  You're welcome Kevin.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity.