Former GOP Chairman Brian Hornback’s speech to the Knox County Republican Party Convention, Today

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Knox County Republican Party, Thank You.

Thank You for electing me two years ago to serve as Your Chairman. Thank You for working with our leadership team the past two years in building and growing our party.

I want to Thank my family. My wife and three children for sacrificing time away from her husband and their father in allowing me to serve. I want to Thank my parents and my brother and his wife, it is not easy or nice seeing your husband, father, brother or son’s name associated with negative attacks in local papers and renegade talk radio shows with information that is not factual. To my family, thank you and hopefully now all will return to normal.

I must acknowledge the late Loy Smith. My former State Representative and former Knox County Republican Chairman, also my friend and former State Representative Jimmy Kyle Davis. Both of these men invested time and energy into a young kid and I will be forever grateful.

Today, I must acknowledge my friend and State Representative Parkey Strader. I have learned so much from Parkey over the years, but especially within the past several months. Parkey, Thank You.

Two Years ago. The first item of business was to secure an office operation that was fiscally responsible, highly visible, provided adequate parking and one that ensures that all citizens regardless of disabilities has access to our office operation. That location was found and we have been operating at 2606 Greenway Drive in the 640 North Building for nearly two years. Thank you to the office volunteers Suzanne Dewar and Jo Catlett. I and the party couldn’t have been as successful without them.

As Chairman one of my desires was to have some unity events, like we had in the past. Events where every Republican could be included. Thanks to the generosity of some of our supporters and officeholders we had a successful Open House at the new office in the summer of 2005 and Thanks to Jane Chedester we had another successful unity event at her farm this past summer.

With last Winter’s Supreme Court decision in a Shelby County case we had to deal with a term limits controversy, the minority party fielded candidates as write-in’s and running them not as Democrats but as a colored ballot. In spite of that we elected a General Sessions Judge in Andy Jackson VI, a Chancellor in Mike Moyers, we re-elected a Register of Deeds in Steve Hall, a Sheriff in Tim Hutchison and Criminal Court Judge in Ray Lee Jenkins. We elected and/or re-elected14 of the 19 members of the Knox County Commission.

We sent a large enough vote out of Knox County to elect the only new Republican Senator in the United States of America. United States Senator Bob Corker. We re-elected Congressman Jimmy Duncan in an overwhelming fashion. We re-elected every Republican member of the Knox County Legislative delegation.

Just 5 weeks ago, our party gained a new Sheriff in Jimmy J.J. Jones, a new Trustee in Fred Sisk, a new Register of Deeds in Sherry Witt.

We gained some new Commissioners in the Fourth district Richard Cate, Lee Tramel, in the Fifth district Frank Leuthold, in the Eighth District Jack Huddleston, in the Ninth District Tim Greene. I saved one for last. The minority party had gained a seat on County Commission in the 2006 election. The two members of that district (they serve in the minority party) couldn’t agree on a candidate. So, we picked up a seat with Republican Chuck Bolus. This is the proudest accomplishment of my term as your Chairman. Electing and Re-Electing Republicans.

Let us know look to the next term.

In February 2008, less than one year away. We must continue to hold these seats within the Republican party. We can not. We must not give an inch. If we give an inch they will attempt to become a ruler.

Within our party we can have debate. We can have Republicans challenging Republicans because in Knox County we are a BIG tent. We have members that are Conservative, liberal and moderate. We are a family and families are going to have discussions and debate. But when the other party attempts to step into to our family discussion. We must not let that happen.

But when we exit the primaries. We MUST ABSOLUTELY MUST support the Republican nominee because if we do not Knox County citizens and taxpayers are not served with the best representation.

As I move from Chairman back to a regular member of our party. I will be available. I will continue working with Republicans as I have done since 1982.

Today our party stands in good shape.

We are on ready to defend our county in February and August 2008. We are prepared and ready to re-elect our State Representatives and Senator Woodson. We are prepared and ready to re-elect Senator Lamar Alexander and Congressman Duncan and on January 20, 2009 we will watching a Republican take the oath of office while Hillary and Obama are watching from the spectator stands.

Again, Thank You. And May God Bless You and our Great Knox County Republican Party.