Travis Lenkner is 24. He’s a Kansas University student. He has a political blog on the Internet.

And — breaking many stereotypes — he’s a Republican.

Today, Lenkner will fly to New York City as an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention, which begins Monday at Madison Square Garden.

He’s part of a Republican effort to include younger people in the largest gathering of party loyalists in four years.

“It’s absolutely critical to get young people involved,” said Scott Poor, executive director of the Kansas Republican Party. “The young Republicans and activists are the future of the party. From a perspective of leadership development, it’s great for the younger people.”

It’s also designed to be great for the party’s image. Justin McFarland, president of KU Young Republicans, put the message this way: “The Republican Party isn’t just the old retired white guy anymore.”

Political observer

Lenkner, a law student, is the youngest of the official Kansas contingent — which includes 39 delegates and 36 alternates — heading to New York City. He’s also the only Lawrence resident in the group.

The Pratt native said an interest in current events in high school and during his undergraduate years — fostered by a stint as editor of the Collegian at Kansas State University — helped form his political interests. Lenkner has had internships with state Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, and U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran. He also worked on David Adkins’ unsuccessful bid for attorney general in 2002.

“For me, it’s as much observational and pseudo-academic as it is partisan,” Lenkner said of the convention. “I’m fascinated by the dialogue from the groups represented there, on all sides of the issues. One way or the other, this is a historic election.”

He said most Americans, and particularly young people, were ready for both President Bush and his challenger, John Kerry, to focus on issues other than Kerry’s war record. He said Bush needed to send a message of leadership and stability.

Kansas University law student Travis Lenker will be heading to the Republican National Convention as an alternate delegate. At 24, Lenker will be the youngest member of the Kansas delegation.

“I think it’s just remind people what we’ve come through in the past four years,” Lenkner said. “It’s cliche to say things have changed so much, but truly they have. This is the first election after that paradigm shift, with all kinds of implications of security challenges in the country. Given the current rough world situation, stability wins the day.”

Lenkner will be chronicling his convention experience online at www.gopdelegate.blogspot.com.

Mainstream?

Lenkner’s conviction — and young age — is refreshing to Mike Todd.

Todd, a Baldwin resident, is the other Douglas County member of the official Kansas delegation to the convention. Like Lenkner, Todd is an alternate delegate. He has gone to every GOP convention since 1976.

“It’s imperative for the party to get younger people involved,” Todd said. “I think the kids are learning to get involved, because that’s how you really make change — not waiting on the sideline. It’s great he’s able to go.”

Mark Simpson, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said his party’s Kansas delegation included two people who were 18 years old and one who was 19. He said he thought Democrats remained more diverse than Republicans in Kansas, both in age and other factors.

Travis Lenkner’s blog Lawrence anarchists to protest in N.Y.C. (8-25-04) More in Election ’04

“I think they’re trying to make themselves relevant to the mainstream,” Simpson said. “If you look at what happened in the primary, they’re going farther and farther to the right.”

Simpson said younger people were attracted to the Democratic Party because of two issues: education and tax cuts for the wealthy.

Lenkner said social issues such as abortion had turned some young people away from the Republican Party. The party should focus more on basic principles, such as local government, to attract more young adults, he said.

“People make a lot of hay about moderate versus conservative,” Lenkner said. “We have lots more things we agree on than disagree on.”

He said he realized many KU students shun the two-party system and opt to focus their activism outside parties. But he’s proud to be among the nearly 5,000 delegates and alternates headed to New York.

“The reality is it’s a two-party system,” Lenkner said. “I think in the end if we want to do great things for Kansas and do great things for the country, the system as it stands now is such that we’re going to work within that framework.”