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The Hamblen County Republican Party gathered together unified as a group, but noticeably competitive as the local primary season is well underway, at their 2026 Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner at the Country Club.

Candidates from all over the county sat together in a room and celebrated their common cause and presented many options for Republican voters to choose from.

“I love this party, not because it’s perfect, not because things are easy right now, but because I believe in what it stands for, and I’ve seen what happens to families, communities, when these values aren’t being fought for,” Hamblen County Republican Party Chairman Kyle Walker said.

“We believe that every person has the ability to build a good life, that the government’s job is to protect your freedom, not run your life, that a strong America doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people like you show up, work hard, and refuse to give up. These aren’t just political talking points.

“These are the values of your parents, your grandparents. They lived by them. The things you pass down to your children, and they are worth fighting for.”

After opening remarks and a stirring recognition of veterans in attendance, the candidates in the room were recognized. It has been a heated primary season in Hamblen County with many local candidates using national party rhetoric in attempts to set themselves apart.

But unity and strength of common values was emphasized repeatedly.

“Unity doesn’t mean everyone agrees,” Walker said. “It means everyone stays in the fight together. That’s what I’m asking of you tonight. Stay in the fight. Speak up. Push back on each other the way good people do, honestly and respectfully, and then walk out the door as a team. Because if we fall apart, if we go quiet, if we stop showing up, that doesn’t just hurt us at the ballot box, it leaves a hole — and that hole will be filled by people who do not share our values.”

Representatives from the three top polling Republican Tennessee gubernatorial candidates made remarks.

“Monty’s an intelligent man, but better than that, he’s a good man,” Denise Fritts, wife of Monty Fritts said. “He loves his Tennessee. We love our Tennessee. We want to serve, we the people. Because that is what we are, we the people. We’re nobody special. We really aren’t. We’re just like you. We just want our Tennessee to be better. And so Monty put his name on the ballot and we’re being obedient to the call.”

“John is the only person, and I have respect for everybody running it, all the Republicans running it in this race, by the way, but he is the only Republican in the governor’s race that has any kind of business experience,” John Rose Campaign Chair Chris Devaney said. “And John is a CEO. He’s signed the front side of a paycheck, and he wants to take that experience that he’s learned in business and translate it and run the state government. He’ll tell you firsthand that being a congressman was great. He learned a lot. But it’s about voting yes or voting no. It’s not about leading. It’s not about running the government.”

“When I see a person who has consistently voted right since they were in the statehouse where I’m at now and made it all the way to D.C. and D.C. is not corrupted the way they vote and they get in shoulder to shoulder with us in the legislature … every time Tennessee takes the correct step to lead the nation in whatever it is, Marsha is there cheering us on every time,” Tennessee state Rep. Jeremy Faison said.

After remarks were made, Walker presented Becky Skelton with the local party’s Presidential Award.

“Whereas (she) has demonstrated unwavering support to the Republican candidates and the organization, as well as dedication to the conservative principle,” Walker read. “Whereas, her willingness to invest her time, energy, and resources to strengthen the local and state Republican Party has been a benefit to all of us. Whereas, she has faithfully served as a treasurer of the Hamblen County Republican Women’s for seven years, providing steady leadership, accountability, and faithful stewardship.

“Whereas, her service has been marked by the highest ethnic standard, strong character, and a deep commitment to the service of our organization and its members. Whereas, her continued dedication, including state office, in order to future advance the goal of the Republican Party at both the local and state levels. Now, therefore, the Hamlin County Republican Women do hereby recognize and honor Becky Skelton, the Presidential Award.”

After the award, Walker gave closing remarks before attendees filtered out of the Country Club.

“We have to teach our younger generation why it is important to vote. Because that’s where we’re going to lose our push. We have so many people in this room that probably have voted, voted every year.

“But our younger generation doesn’t understand that it’s important for them to vote. We need to encourage them to vote. We need to explain to them why they should vote.

“And we shouldn’t tell them who to vote for. We should tell them why we want them to vote for that person. Tell them the values that we have. The values that we gave them. And tell them we want to continue those values. That we need to keep those values.”