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WHEELING -- When 18-year-old Michael Borsuk lost his recent bid for a seat on the Ohio County Republican Executive Committee, he decided young people still needed to be encouraged to enter politics.
He has formed the Northern Panhandle Young Republicans Group to serve as a place for aspiring political leaders to meet, network and perhaps gain the confidence to seek elected office in the future.
The first meeting of the group is set to take place at 5 p.m. June 22 at West Virginia Independence Hall.
It is free and open to all who want to attend. Elected Republican officials are expected to attend.
Borsuk said the new club already has received the support of West Virginia Senate Majority Whip Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, as well as Delegates Erikka Storch, R-Ohio; Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock; and Charlie Reynolds, R-Marshall. The Hancock, Brooke and Marshall County executive committees also have offered their assistance.
The club is geared toward Republicans ages 16 to 30.
"It is a way to get young Republicans involved in elections, meeting people running for office, and also building connections if they want to get their feet into the political water," he said.
"For a state that is this conservative -- to have 70% of people voting 'red' (for president) in 2020 - and for us not to have something like Young Republicans ...I just couldn't believe it."
And Borsuk thought the club would be more successful if it attracted members from across the Northern Panhandle than if it were just one county.
"If it were just Ohio County, maybe we would get 10 people interested -- maybe," he said.
"But if we have the entire Northern Panhandle involved, we can network these young Republicans with each other. We can network them up and down the Northern Panhandle."
Starting group members as young as 16 gives them two years of political experience before they can legally vote at 18, Borsuk explained.
"We're not in this for profit," he continued. "We won't be donating to any candidates because we are not a PAC (political action committee.) We're just here to promote young Republicans to the ballot."