Williamson County GOP pumps up party, issues warning at 2020 Reagan Day Gala

The Williamson County Republican Party held their 2020 Reagan Day Gala on Friday, Sept. 11, featuring guest speaker California Congressman Devin Nunes.

The black-tie, 'Roaring 20’s'-themed event saw over 300 attendees including local and state representatives, donors and supporters of the GOP for a night that served as a rallying cry for the party ahead of the November election. 

Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee issued the opening invocation while Williamson County Republican Party Chairman Cheryl Brown welcomed the crowd to the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin.

Congressman Mark Green gave a passionate speech about sacrifice and service, noting the date as the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, recalling his own experiences as a US Army special operations soldier.

"My job tonight is to talk you the fallen warriors, those men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedoms," Green said.

Green spoke about his own experiences on 9/11 and his deployment to Iraq shortly after as well as his last time seeing fellow soldier Stephen Reich who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005 along with another soldier James “Tre” Ponder III who was from Franklin.

“We can never forget people like Tre and Stephen who ran to the sounds of guns, something very unnatural,” Green said. “Yeah, they had fear of death and fear leaving their families forever, fear of being maimed, fear of failure, but they suppressed that and they went towards the sound of the guns."

"We can’t forget them, and I want to ask you tonight to never forget them and to let them be your rallying point," Green continued, "because you know something, what they lived for, what they fought for and what they died for is exactly what's at stake in this election, the very soul of our nation."

State Rep. Sam Whitson, State Sen. Jack Johnson, and Republican US Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty also addressed the crowd, and Johnson was awarded the National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion by Tenn. Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

"As Tennesseans you are the least indebted people in the entire nation," Johnson said. "Unlike other states, California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey, the list goes on and on, we have a big neon sign at our boarder that says, we believe in capitalism. Profit is not evil. Bring your business to Tennessee, thrive here, succeed, employ our people and we will celebrate that, unlike some other states."

A CALL TO ACTION

Tenn. Sen. Marsha Blackburn took the stage and pumped up the crowd with calls to re-elect President Trump as well as fellow Republicans across the state, charging that "Williamson County is what holds that great, red wall together."

Blackburn said that unity was key to the party's success in November, echoing the party's theme of fighting for good over "evil," calling Nunes' book "beautifully timed to help send that message that this election is going to determine the path that we take - freedom or socialism."

"Today we are fighting against radicals and anarchists that our running through our streets," Blackburn said. "Let me tell you something, I would rather them be enraged than to be in charge, and the only way that we make sure that they are never in charge is to send Donald Trump back to the White House."

She then welcomed Nunes to the stage for an interview-style discussion where Nunes promoted his new pamphlet-style book, “Countdown to Socialism,” and hit on familiar talking points of "the Russian Hoax," allegations of Democratic corruption around the Obama administration and the Trump presidential transition team and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and calling Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden an "avatar" candidate. 

Nunes continued, alleging that the national Democratic party is engaging in a disinformation campaign and working to steal the election by way of mail-in voting, claims that have also been leveled against the Republican party this divisive election season.

"It seems like there's nothing that the people [Democrats] won't do in their lust for power, and let me tell you, they want to turn this country into what we have in California," Nunes said.

Nunes and Blackburn both spoke at length about what they see as a real threat of "socialism" from the Democratic Party, calling on voters to "wake up."

"We are fighting these people in the streets now," Nunes said. "It is literally that bad."

"They are looking to take control of everything in this country and completely transform us so that we don't recognize ourselves," Blackburn added.

And while the night served as a rallying cry for Republican’s across the county whose public enthusiasm for the party and the Trump presidency was on full display, the party both locally and nationally faces tough challenges in November.

In Williamson County, Democratic candidate Elizabeth Maderia is campaigning for  the Tennessee House District 63 seat and raising record amounts of money, and Democratic Senate candidate Marquita Bradshaw has earned endorsements from Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.

All of this is taking place as President Trump and his administration face an onslaught of challenges and public outcry for his administration's response to nearly every aspect of contemporary American life from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to race relations, and wildfires in the West.