Team Restore Announces Top of Slate Candidates to Lead the Young Republican National Federation

Today, at the Young Republican National Federation’s (YRNF) Spring Quarterly Meeting in Charleston, SC, RestoreYR unveiled its candidates for the senior leadership positions of Co-Chair and Vice Chair. 

Ariana Assenmacher, Chairwoman of the California Young Republican Federation (CAYRF), will run for YRNF Co-Chair, and Brandon Ludwig, Chairman of the Florida Young Republicans (FLYR), will run for YRNF Vice Chair. 

They join Peter Giunta, Chairman of the New York State Young Republicans (NYSYR), who announced his candidacy for YRNF Chairman last August. The Young Republican National Convention will be held in Nashville, TN, from July 30 to August 3, 2025, with nearly 1,000 delegates expected to be in attendance.

“It is with great pride and excitement that we announce our candidacies for senior leadership and our campaign to advance our shared vision for the future of the Young Republicans, a movement that is so vital to the continued strength and success of our Republican Party. Together, we will restore trust, opportunity, and unity within the Young Republican National Federation, and lead by example to empower the next generation of Republicans from the bottom up,” said the team in a joint statement.

About Ariana Assenmacher: Ariana has served as Chairwoman of the California Young Republican Federation since 2023 and was previously Chair of the Los Angeles County Young Republicans from 2018 to 2024. A Tucson native, she moved to Los Angeles in 2010 for college, where she double-majored in political science and economics, played NCAA Division III softball, and led the Richard Nixon Republican Club. Over the years, she has held leadership roles in several organizations, including the California College Republicans, Log Cabin Republicans, and the Los Angeles GOP.

As Chair, Ariana has been instrumental in revitalizing CAYRF, leading Young Republicans across California to make more than 2.8 million voter contacts during the 2024 cycle. She also helped plan and host the YRNF Fall Quarterly in San Diego, which brought together over 250 Young Republicans from across the country.

About Brandon Ludwig: Brandon has served as the Chairman of the Florida Young Republicans (FLYR) since 2023, and previously served as its Executive Director and Chairman of the Clay County YRs from 2020-2022. A fifth-generation Florida native, Brandon’s background includes his work as Congresswoman Kat Cammack’s Press Secretary, Spokesman for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and his current position in Business Development for Jacksonville-based defense contractor LSI, Inc.

As FLYR Chairman, Brandon expanded membership by more than 700 new members and added 9 new clubs in the process. In 2024, FLYR hosted the largest-ever quarterly meeting in Tampa, made 3.4 million voter contacts, restored its position on the board of the Florida GOP, opened one of two YR headquarters in the country, and played a key role in the Florida GOP holding its’ supermajority in the state legislature with their focus on swing seats in Orlando. Ludwig is a University of North Florida graduate and proudly lives in his hometown of Keystone Heights.

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