Young members at Mainstream Republicans’ event call for housing focus, mentorship and social media outreach

A panel of younger Republican activists and staff at the Mainstream Republicans of Washington dinner urged party leaders to invest in recruiting and supporting candidates who fit their districts, to address housing affordability and to use social media and leadership opportunities to connect with young voters.

Hillary Pham (introduced as a legislative assistant in the Washington State House) described her path from refugee family origins to ROTC service and said Gov. Dan Evans’ call to service resonated personally: "I found my calling to give back to my country," she said, noting that mentorship and access to community colleges shaped her trajectory.

Panelists identified housing affordability as a top concern for their generation. One panelist said polling of young Republicans showed housing and jobs as primary issues, and urged educating voters on policy tradeoffs such as the effects of rent-control proposals. "Housing is expensive. There's not enough units," the panelist said, urging targeted policy discussions rather than purely ideological arguments.

Participants recommended concrete outreach steps: invest modest resources in local college chapters, give young people leadership roles within party organizations, and meet younger voters where they are online. "The number one way is social media," one young panelist said during the lightning round, adding that many young people are focused on national politics and need clearer information about state-level policy.

Speakers also emphasized mentorship and on-the-ground work: canvassing, field deployments and inter-state volunteer mobilization were cited as effective means to train and empower new activists. Organizers closed the program with a short video by a younger environmental organizer and noted further materials would be posted online.

The panel offered strategy and recruitment ideas rather than formal policy proposals; no motions or votes were taken.