by Judith L. Messal (Author) In 1961, Holm O. Bursum III led a group of enthusiastic Young Republicans (YRs) into an unprecedentedly close partnership with the senior wing of their party. From a family of prominent public servants, Bursum became a protégé of Republican Governor Edwin L. Mechem. Mechem's own political achievements a decade before were astonishing given the GOP's extreme minority position in New Mexico at the time. Building on Mechem's success, Bursum had ambitious goals for the Young Republicans: to charter active clubs throughout the state, including the predominantly Democratic east side; to do legwork for the senior party in fund-raising and campaigning, and to encourage young candidates to run for public office. His organizing and networking brought him into collegial relationships with Young Republicans like Hoyt Pattison, Richard Cheney, and Colin McMillan, who became state legislators and took on leadership positions when few of their party could get elected to the body. In his five years of Young Republican leadership, Bursum also created strong bonds nationally. Young Republican National Federation leaders such as Leonard Nadasdy sought him out, and with them, he attended a North Atlantic Conference of Young Political Leaders at the University of Oxford in 1965. In 1961, Holm O. Bursum III led a group of enthusiastic Young Republicans (YRs) into an unprecedentedly close partnership with the senior wing of their party. From a family of prominent public servants, Bursum became a protégé of Republican Governor Edwin L. Mechem. Mechem's own political achievements a decade before were astonishing given the GOP's extreme minority position in New Mexico at the time. Building on Mechem's success, Bursum had ambitious goals for the Young Republicans: to charter active clubs throughout the state, including the predominantly Democratic east side; to do legwork for the senior party in fund-raising and campaigning, and to encourage young candidates to run for public office. His organizing and networking brought him into collegial relationships with Young Republicans like Hoyt Pattison, Richard Cheney, and Colin McMillan, who became state legislators and took on leadership positions when few of their party could get elected to the body. In his five years of Young Republican leadership, Bursum also created strong bonds nationally. Young Republican National Federation leaders such as Leonard Nadasdy sought him out, and with them, he attended a North Atlantic Conference of Young Political Leaders at the University of Oxford in 1965.