The Franklin County Republican Party held its traditional electionyear event, the Reagan Day Dinner at the Twin Creeks Honeysuckle Pavilion, on Saturday with those attending enjoying a meal, a silent auction and musical entertainment while hearing from gubernatorial candidates running in the state primary.

Many local-, state- and federal- level politicians and leaders were in attendance, and the speakers included gubernatorial candidates Monty Fritts and John Rose and David Alexander,

See Republicans, Page 2A ^ a representative for U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who is also running for the office.

Welcoming the audience at the beginning of the evening was Franklin County Republican Party Chairman Brooks Lynch, who expressed his gratitude to everyone in attendance and stated how important it is for the people to use their right to vote.

“We cannot make this happen without you, so I greatly appreciate each and every one of that has joined us tonight,” Lynch said. “We want to rally and help the candidates win the offices they are seeking because this is the most tried and true way to make sure our freedoms are not lost.” The first gubernatorial governor candidate to speak was Blackburn’s representative, Alexander, a former Franklin County mayor.

Alexander talked briefly about the history of the parties in Tennessee, dating back to 2009, and stated how many years ago, each seat and office was held by a Democrat.

“Back in 2009, our Franklin County Republican Party was failing,” Alexander said. “So the organization had a controversy. There was a group of people there who, to very simply say, were very sick and tired of what it looked like.

“We weren’t going to take it anymore, and we were going to do something about it, and we did.”

Alexander described it as a “good, old-fashioned, knockdown, drag-out, take-no-prisoners, political fight.”

He stated that the party started holding fundraisers, knocking on doors, developing candidates, hosting events, making phone calls and putting a tireless amount of footwork into rallying for the party throughout the community.

Alexander said that, during that election cycle, the first Republican state representative was elected since the reconstruction following the Civil War.

Throughout the following election cycles, more seats were being filled by Republicans, and the focus led all the way down to the local level.

Circling back to Blackburn, Alexander spoke of everything she has already done for the state of Tennessee.

“She has carried the torch,” he said. “Whether it was preventing a state income tax or standing strong against China and other adversaries, whether she’s fighting to keep boys out of girls sports, whether she’s stopping illegal immigration and supporting mass deportation, whether she’s taking on big tech to protect our children online, she has been there for you. She has been fighting for us.”

The next candidate to speak was Fritts, who recalled his time serving in the military and what those years taught him about leadership and delivering on promises made.

“Leaders will always bring out of the crucible of development, they will bring that ability to deliver receipts,” Fritts said. “Oftentimes, the smoke you see when it clears, you’ll realize you’ve only been sold a bill giving you empty promises with no receipts.” Fritts stated that he believed everyone in the room had been called for a special cause, whether it was working with the youth, in law enforcement, with veterans or any other special group.

“I challenge everyone in this room to be health gate-chargers,” Fritts said. “I think Tennessee faces many challenges, and God has called us to be health gate-chargers and preserve what he has blessed us with. You can look out at the lake behind me and see that God has been good to Tennessee. There is no other place in the world like it. It’s not just our rivers and our fields and our forests. It’s not just the liberties that we have. It’s that God has placed us amongst like-minded people who desire liberty and less government. That is my vision for Tennessee.”

The last gubernatorial candidate to speak was U.S. Rep. John Rose. Rose showed enthusiasm to be at the event and stated how proud he was to be an eighth-generation Tennessean and how blessed he felt to wake up in a family farm home, recalling how many challenges his family must have faced to help build the beautiful life he enjoys now.

“It’s remarkable that I get to be there almost 236 years later,” Rose said. “But my thoughts always turn to the future, and I think about my boys and what the future will look like for them. Will they believe we stood solid today for our part in protecting and defending the republic and maintain what we cherish and value so dearly? That’s what inspires me, and that’s why I am here today.” Rose went on to say that he decided to run because the Founding Fathers wanted a citizen legislature. “They wanted people like you and me to go to Washington, speak for the people and come home. I believe I have some service left in me. I’m applying for the job of governor of Tennessee,” he said. “Tonight, I’m speaking to people who I hope will be my bosses, and I hope you will hire me for the job. It’s not about what I want for the future of the state of Tennessee. It’s about what you want for the future.”

Following the comments from the gubernatorial candidates, the local members of the Republican Party enjoyed closing remarks and the announcement of silent-auction winners.

Musical entertainment at the event was provided by Robert Tipps.

The county and state primary elections are scheduled to be held Tuesday.