Topeka, KS:  The Kansas Republican Party Convention concluded Saturday night.

Speakers included U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, who gave the Republican response to the State of the Union;  Congressman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina; and Kansas Day Club Banquet speaker, Congressman Steve Russell of Iowa, who, in a previous career, led the Army unit that captured Saddam Hussein.

The party congratulated Governor Brownback, Senator Roberts, and its other candidates for their sweeping victories in November 2014.  

The party especially thanked Senator Jerry Moran for his leadership of the National Republican Senatorial Committee that succeeded in taking back the US Senate.

The Party awarded its 2014 Huck Boyd Volunteer of the Year Award to former Senator Bob Dole, who despite being 91 and in fragile health, conducted a 105-county tour, gave unwavering support for the Republican ticket, and campaigned non-stop in the last two weeks of the election.   

"The award was particularly meaningful because Huck Boyd was the person who got Bob Dole started in national politics back in 1960,"  said Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins who accepted the award on Dole's behalf.  

The 182 person state committee, by acclimation, 

"Kelly and Ashley represent a younger forward thinking generation of leadership," said Clay Barker.  The Kansas Republican Party now has one of the youngest and dynamic leadership teams in the nation.  Chairman Arnold is 36 years old and Vice-Chair Ashley McMillan Hutchinson, mother of two young sons and married to a high school teacher, is 31 years old.  

Since the 2010 election, Kansas has experienced an incredible level of turnover in its elected officials.  The state party, in contrast, has remained a constant bedrock on which to build election success.  The previous chair, Amanda Adkins, served two terms and was succeeded by her vice-chair Kelly Arnold, who will also serve two terms.  The last time successive state party chairs each served two terms was when Ronald Reagan was elected.

Additionally Clay Barker, who recently become a grandfather, has held the party executive director position longer than any other Kansas Republican and is currently one of the longest serving in the nation.  He assumed the position in 2011 from Ashley McMillan, the new party vice-chair. 

The State Committee was briefed on the proposed Presidential Caucus and National Convention plans for 2016.  The Kansas Republican Caucus will probably take place on Saturday, March 5, 2016, and the National Convention in Cleveland will take place July 18-21, 2016.