Delegates Deliver Vote at Biennial Convention

MEDIA ADVISORY: October 1, 2023
CONTACT: communications@nfrw.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – Delegates to the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) 42nd Biennial Convention elected Julie Harris of Springdale, Arkansas, to serve as president in 2024-2025. The election took place Oct. 1.

Harris, whose term begins Jan. 1, will be the first NFRW president from the State of Arkansas. She currently is serving as 4th vice president and as director of Region 6 for the 2022-2023 biennium. She is a Regent and adviser to the Legislation, Faith Coalition and Regents committees. She will succeed NFRW President Eileen Sobjack of Washington, who is serving as president during the 2022-2023 biennium.

Previously, Harris served on the NFRW Executive Committee as 2nd vice president, 3rd vice president and secretary, and she chaired the Achievement Awards Committee and served on the Public Relations and Legislation committees.

"I am immensely grateful for the confidence that the NFRW members have in me and my vision for our organization," Harris said. "The NFRW has an unwavering commitment to Republican values, as affirmed by our convention’s vote in support of our organization continuing its 85-year history as a women’s only organization.

"As we approach the monumental election year of 2024, we recognize the pivotal role the NFRW will play in reclaiming the White House and securing a majority in both the U.S. House and Senate. With millions of volunteer hours that we consistently put into each election cycle, we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get Republicans elected."

For many years, Harris has been a Republican leader at the county, state and national levels. During the 2014 election, she was Arkansas field director for Women Speak Out PAC, a project of the Susan B. Anthony List. In 2016, she worked for a Little Rock-based consulting firm, Trace Strategies, which played a key role in assisting Republican wins in the battleground states. Harris led a team that knocked on more than 40,000 doors in Pennsylvania during the last six weeks of the campaign, helping to win the state for President Donald Trump.

In her home state, Harris serves as secretary for the Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA). She is a past president (2010-2012) of the Arkansas Federation of Republican Women and served two terms as her local Federation club president.

Harris and her husband, Jonathan, are small business owners and have five children, two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and 10 grandchildren.

NFRW officers elected on Oct. 1 are:

• PRESIDENT: Julie Harris, Arkansas
• 1ST VICE PRESIDENT: Martha Jenkins, North Carolina
• 2ND VICE PRESIDENT: Karen Newton, Texas
• 3RD VICE PRESIDENT: Michelle Buckwalter-Schurman, Illinois
• 4TH VICE PRESIDENT: Keri Abernathy, Mississippi
• SECRETARY: Heidi Parker Martin, Louisiana
• TREASURER: Cindy Casaus, Arizona

Following the convention, the NFRW Board of Directors elected the three members-at-large to the NFRW Executive Committee. They are Britney Garner of Alabama, Lorie Legere of Oklahoma, and Jennie Frederick of Wisconsin.

Founded in 1938, the National Federation of Republican Women is the largest grassroots Republican women’s organization in the country. Building leaders, energizing communities and keeping America strong, NFRW empowers women from all backgrounds in the political process and provides a forum for women to serve as leaders in the political, government, and civic arenas.

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