The annual Republican Statesmen’s Dinner drew its largest crowd ever Saturday night with over 1,700 gathering at Opryland Hotel in Nashville determined to keep Tennessee “Dark red.” 
House Speaker Mike Johnson was the keynote speaker. He focused on the issues the Congress is currently dealing with but also emphasized the opportunities that lie ahead for the Republican Party and the U.S.
“God spared President Trump’s life, not once but twice, and his head and heart are in a different place than where he was in his first term,” Johnson said. “He recounted the achievements of the GOP majority in just their first six months and emphasized that the common theme is “restoring common sense to our policies.”
Johnson said Trump actually wanted an exclamation point in the title of the “Big Beautiful Bill” but that Johnson won that disagreement with Trump.
Johnson explained the benefits of that Big Beautiful Bill for both Tennessee and the nation in detail. “And we need to remind voters that every single Democrat voted against the tax cuts and benefits to working families that the bill contained,” he said.
All of Tennessee’s current Republican members of Congress were in attendance, along with Governor Bill Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, GOP State Chairman Scott Golden, and dozens of state legislative representatives and local elected officials.
GOP candidates for the 7th District Special Election and their supporters were also actively working the room during the evening, including Jody Barrett, Stewart Parks, Gino Bulso, Matt Van Epps, Joe Leurs, Lee Reeves. And although their 6th District primary is a year away, Johnnie Garrett and Van Hilleary were also actively campaigning from one end of the room to the other.
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton closed out the night with an appeal for unity within the party, noting that name calling and divisiveness only distracts us from the common conservative policy objectives we share. “None of us are perfect,” Sexton noted, “and we are blessed that our Savior Jesus Christ overlooks our imperfections and that is what allows us to be welcomed into his loving embrace despite them.”
Rep. Clay Doggett was recognized as the Republican Legislator of the Year. He joked that “I would have shaved if I knew I was getting an award” in accepting the recognition from Speaker Sexton and Lt. Governor McNally.
Statesmen of the Year awards were presented by the congressional delegation to an honoree from each district. Julie Hannah Beaman (5th), former State Senator Mae Beavers, who led the effort to block a state income tax (6th), Iva Michelle Russell (4th), Mary Ann Parks (7th) and former State Rep. Frank Nicely, who passed away in June, (2d) were among those honored.
Both John Rose and Marsha Blackburn had very enthusiastic supporters in attendance, brandishing signs in support of their candidates throughout the evening. And both hosted energetic receptions after the dinner, featuring live music, ice cream and open bars along with even more political socializing and gossip.
Several political observers noted that the campaigns had the energy normally seen in the final months of a statewide campaign rather than one year out.
Congressman Tim Burchett may have summed it up best when he said “This was a great evening, but if I’m ever in charge, we’re having Hot Pockets for dinner, dadgummit.”
Steve Gill is Publisher of TriStar Daily and is a national and international political analyst and commentator.
