Bob Cornelius has had a uniquely American life that has been marked not only by recognizing opportunity when it arose, but by answering the call to public service and leadership.

GROWING UP –

Bob Cornelius’ life began in Austin, Texas where he was born to Robin Skaggs and Doug Cornelius on October 4, 1979. After a short time traveling the state of Texas with his father due to work, Bob moved with his father to Tatum, New Mexico, where Bob’s grandparents lived and owned the Rock Courts. Bob grew up in a single-parent home, raised extensively by this father after his mother killed when Bob was two years old. Bob was lucky enough to have the support of family, friends, and a church family to help him along the way.

While in Tatum, he learned the importance of family, hard work, faith, and education. He attended school, including Tatum High School, during the week and the First Baptist Church of Tatum on Sundays.

Bob is the middle child of six. Bob has four half-sisters: Kaye Richardson of Albuquerque, Beverly Litt of El Paso, Texas, Sara Garcia of Tatum, and Emalee Cornelius who currently attends NMSU. Bob has one half-brother, Lee Cornelius of Austin. Texas.

PUBLIC SERVICE & LEADERSHIP –

From being chosen as an Ambassador to the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Conference as a high school sophomore to being a statewide leader on New Mexico’s college campuses, Bob Cornelius has taken an active role in public service. As a freshman at Eastern New Mexico University, Bob was elected to the Student Senate and spent the next few years representing student issues on campus. Bob would go on to become Student Body President just two years later. Once Bob became Student Body President, the Student Body Presidents from New Mexico’s other colleges chose him to lead the Associated Students of New

Mexico (ASNM) where he represented over 120,000 college students. Bob served as Director of ASNM for two terms where he lobbied for the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship, campus safety, and capital outlay improvements for institutions of higher education.

Bob was active in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity where he served as their Public Relations/Communications Chair. Participating in Kappa Sigma allowed Bob to be involved with several charitable organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Relay for Life, and Habitat for Humanity.

Bob Cornelius was chosen and still serves as an Ambassador to the Youth Services of America (YSA), where he helps to build a global culture of engaged youth who are committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership, and achievement.

POLITICS and the REPUBLICAN PARTY –

It was in Tucson, Arizona where Bob caught the “political bug”. After spending a summer interning for Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe, Bob returned to New Mexico looking to build the Republican Party of New Mexico. He would get that opportunity by starting and organizing the College Republican organization at Eastern New Mexico University and growing it into the largest per capita College Republican group in the state of New Mexico. He served as this organization’s President for two years. At the time, Bob also served as the Executive Director for the New Mexico Federation of College Republicans.

Wanting to get involved directly with the Republican Party of New Mexico, Bob sought and was unanimously elected to become Vice-Chairman of the Roosevelt County Republican Party and to serve on the Republican Party of New Mexico’s State Central Committee.

In 2004, Bob was recognized by the Republican National Committee (RNC) as New Mexico’s #1 volunteer. At the RNC’s winter meeting, former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie said “We call them Team Leaders, but they are much more than that. They are party leaders, community leaders,

and family leaders. If you cannot imagine a world without George W. Bush’s leadership, then you should thank the Team Leaders.”

In 2005, Bob moved to Albuquerque to serve on Bernalillo County Republican Party Chairman Ken Zangara’s Executive Committee as the Youth Outreach Committee Chairman. Bob organized and co-founded a conservative issues-based college organization, the Reagan Freedom Society. 

THE PAST FEW YEARS & TODAY –

After working for several Republican campaigns during the 2006 primary, Bob Cornelius was called again to serve the Republican Party. In July of 2006, Bernalillo County Chairman Fernando C. De Baca asked Bob to move back to Albuquerque and become the Executive Director of the Bernalillo County Republican Party. Seeing a need to organize New Mexico’s conservative youth in support of the Republican cause, Bob created and continues to Chair the Young Republican Volunteers and the Young Conservatives for Heather (Wilson). Bob continues to travel the state and the country speaking on conservative issues and conservative principles.

Bob works for Richardson & Richardson, Inc. Richardson & Richardson, Inc. hosts the Annual Pete Leyva Memorial Golf Tournament benefiting the NM Boys & Girls Ranches. Bob serves on the Tournament Committee as its Media Coordinator.

Bob currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Right to Life Committee of New Mexico and for New Mexico Prep. He continues to be heavily involved with the faith-based Christian organizations Friends for Life and LifeQuest Academy.

Bob currently lives in the house he was raised in Tatum, New Mexico and attends the First Baptist Church of Tatum.

On November 2, 2007, Bob began what he calls a “Conversation with Conservatives” through his various venues to determine whether there is a desire among New Mexico’s voters for him to enter public office.