Friends of Hamilton

10/04/2026

As you go to vote this year, disregard polls that are actually designed to try to depress turnout. The fact is, pollsters don’t know jack! Just remember… 10 years ago …

09/29/2026

As we approach the midterms, this chart may be helpful in winnowing out the truth from the gobbledygook that is the so-called mainstream media. As someone who’s worked closely with media for decades, I’ve seen a lot of these practices firsthand.

So use this chart to become a more informed media consumer.

08/02/2026

From the HCGOP and worth considering:

Dear Hamilton County Republicans,

Out-of-area dark money and Super PACs are flooding Hamilton County with mailers and digital ads designed to deceive Republican voters. Look closely at every disclaimer. If it does not say “Paid for by Friends to Elect [candidate’s name],” treat it as a warning: outside millionaires and liberal-backed groups are spending heavily to flip your primary votes with half-truths and outright lies. Republicans, we are deep in election season. Scrutinize every mailer and online ad. Check who paid for it. These out-of-state PACs and dark-money groups are centrist, moderate groups that tend to be pro-abortion and anti-2nd Amendment. Out-of-area donors and PACs are working to change your mind about local candidates and elected officials. If the disclaimer is not from the candidate’s own friends-to-elect committee, it is likely dark money seeking to influence our races.

Read the fine print. Know who paid for the ad. Look them up. Outside money means a bigger agenda is at work.

As Andy Ogles said: “This is a fight for our nation, and we have the choice: we can let the liberals try to buy seats in Tennessee, or we can hold our ground and fight back.”

Hamilton County, hold your ground!
Be discerning and look for the truth!

07/28/2026

FOH friends: I’ve long been a grassroots activist for county and state GOP candidates, officeholders and policies since supporting David Copeland for his run for governor in 1994. Since then, as director and eventual president of the Chattanooga Tea Party and working with Chris Matthews in many Friends of Hamilton projects, we prioritized grassroots issues of most importance to our fellow citizens and residents.

One such issue is the importance of the representatives we Republicans choose for our State Executive Committee (SEC), which qualifies party candidates for various offices as bonafide, establishes policies and rules for county parties, and helps organize and oversee county conventions, among other duties.

I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with TINA BENKISER on both the grassroots and strategic levels, and there are few I trust as much to provide a detailed, honest opinion on an issue for which we needed advice or assistance.

She helped bring our county party into compliance with the state by leading critical updates to its bylaws. She helped the Tea Party bring David Barton in as our featured speaker for a fundraiser in 2019. She supports closed primaries, as do most of the grassroots, believing Republicans are best suited to choose Republican candidates.

Tina is a good listener, gives straightforward answers and has a great deal of integrity. Tina’s experience, including her prior stint as chair of the Texas GOP, and her honesty and leadership make her a strong, critical voice for our Hamilton County GOP on the SEC.

DEREK GREENE is running for the other SEC position in our (Bo Watson’s) senate district against incumbent David Queen. While a relative newcomer, he strongly supports closed primaries, strict enforcement of party rules for qualifying candidates, is committed to helping recruit true conservatives to run for office, and demonstrates the energy and enthusiasm to engage and better use grassroots activists to help grow the HCGOP.

Please support Tina and Derek with your votes! Early voting ends this Friday, and the election will be Thursday, August 6.

05/18/2026

Who’s funding Tennessee’s candidates for governor? The answers may tell us a lot about to whom each candidate ultimately feels truly accountable. Tennessee Stands explains more below. So vote accordingly.

Stand for Health Freedom released a voter guide for the three gubernatorial candidates this week. They revealed that Senator Marsha Blackburn has only received 22% of her donations from within Tennessee. She has received $6.7 million in donations, has not put in any of her own money and has received...

04/20/2026

Here’s a public interest question the local media is beginning to ask: Why hasn’t Donna Christian Lowe filed her TN Disclosure of Interest Statement that was due 30 days from the date she qualified, Feb 19th?

She's a month late.

She also hasn't filed her 1st quarter campaign donations report that was due on April 10th. The story was reported in the Times Free Press, which said, “As of April 19, 2026, Hamilton County Commission District 9 candidate Donna Christian-Lowe had not submitted her required 1st Quarter campaign finance disclosure, according to reports. The filing deadline for contributions and expenditures spanning January to March was the end of Friday, April 17, 2026.”

Which leads to the questions … who’s funding her campaign? Why the delay?

There are two weeks to go before Hamilton County's May 5 primary election. In the meantime, County Commission candidates have collectively raised nearly $250,000 in campaign donations across 10 contested races.

04/13/2026

My two cents for the upcoming Republican primary for county commission.

It’s easy to say you represent your community. It’s harder to prove it when the pressure is on and the easier path is to just go along. Thank you, Chip Baker, for choosing the harder road. ... more

04/10/2026

We agree with Colleen.