BY RYAN TAYLOR
Community Contributor
The California Young Republican Federations expanded its presence in the Central Valley, chartering a new chapter in Stanislaus County earlier this summer. The newly formed Stanislaus Young Republicans (StanYRs) held their inaugural event in Modesto and quickly followed with a second gathering in Turlock, showing strong community engagement.
Chartered on July 1, the StanYRs hosted their first event at Twin Rivers Saloon in Modesto, attracting 37 founding members. Less than two months later, the group brought their movement to Turlock for their second official event, which drew local political figures and boosted StanYR’s membership to nearly 50.
“For this being our second event ever and first event in Turlock, we are doing fantastic,” said Ryan Taylor, Membership Chair for the Stanislaus Young Republicans. “We are just getting started and we are already hosting well-attended events and making waves in the county. We are just getting started and we’re going to put this momentum to work in this November’s special election and the 2026 midterms.”
The Turlock event featured signs reading “Turlock is worth fighting for” and “Our Valley is worth fighting for,” underscoring the group’s focus on local pride and regional issues.
Among the evening’s speakers were Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak, Turlock Unified School District (TUSD) Board Trustee for Area 6 Patrick Shields, and former TUSD Area 3 Trustee Paola Maldonado. Their presence lent the event a notable civic tone, highlighting the chapter’s intent to engage with policy at the local level.
The StanYR’s have positioned themselves as a growing political force for younger conservatives in the region, aiming to energize a new generation of Republican leadership throughout the Central Valley.
Stanislaus Young Republicans membership is open to registered Republicans age 18-40 years old, though Republicans of all ages frequent their events.
As Taylor noted, this is just the beginning for the StanYR’s: “We’re building something strong here — and people are ready to get involved.”
“The incredible interest in our chapter is a testament to how excited Turlock and Stanislaus County are for a new generation of Republican leadership. We’re going to pound the pavement in this special election and ensure that California voters have the power to choose who they send to Washington, not Gavin Newsom,” said Christan Santos, Chairman of the Stanislaus Young Republicans.
