Thursday ushers in an always exciting time for the Carter County Republican Party.
The organization will meet at Milligan College for their annual Lincoln Dinner, a get-together that features a bevy of Republican leaders from the state and local level to share ideas on how to better the area moving forward.
“We had to turn in our ticket sales a week ago to reserve the food,” county Republican Chair Rusty Barnett said. “We’re expecting a couple hundred of people. It’ll be a packed house.”
Barnett, who is in his first term as the party’s chair, added that Milligan College has been a gracious host during each of his times attending the dinner.
“We appreciate Milligan College,” he said. “They do a tremendous job of hosting this event and are always willing and ready to assist the community when needed. We appreciate the services they provide for our region.”
Attendees will be treated by Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, who is serving as the dinner’s keynote speaker.
“We’re excited about our lineup,” Barnett said. “We have Lt. Gov. McNally coming by, former Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, each of our representatives and senators will be represented.”
Judy Reed, previous chairman who has been active with the organization over the years, seconded Barnett’s sentiments about excitement for this year.
“This is always a highlight of our season,” Reed said. “These dinners also proved to be an enjoyable evening and it is something we always look forward to.”
The county Republican Party is in the business of helping where it can, Reed said, adding the organization is gathering together funds to help the Carter County Honor Guard.
“Each time we have a fundraiser, we want to make sure we can help benefit an organization, like the Carter County Honor Guard,” she said.
Even though this year has been a new experience, Barnett said, seeing the outpouring of support has been a sight to behold.
“The excitement is there,” he said. “It seems like every time we meet, we keep getting more and more people coming out. We’ve had a lot of people come out and show their support for (President Donald) Trump and it’s only continued to pick up since the start of new year.”
Barnett added that community involvement has picked up, and there are opportunities for other individuals looking to make an impact.
“We want to help our community and we’re always welcoming people that want to do their part,” Barnett said. “We’re currently planning different events, like a benefit breakfast, to help raise funds. We’re also talking about how we can better our approach for the future. It’s a real exciting time.”
Residents looking to get involved with the county Republican Party can visit the Carter County Tennessee Republican Party Facebook page to stay up to date with any news and information from the group. The public can also contact either Barnett at (423) 512-1988 or Reed at (423) 262-8163 to learn more about how to get involved.