A local Republican group aiming to raise funds for county political races was looking to Massachusetts on Thursday night.
"The time is right for the Republican Party," said Harold Coker, one of the organizers of the GOP-affiliated Majority Builders, who held a kickoff reception at the Heritage House in East Brainerd. "The Democrats are on the wrong track."
Mr. Coker said a "political tsunami" took place Tuesday when Republican Scott Brown won the race for the Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat long held by the late U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.
Soon after, in an opening prayer, Hamilton County Commissioner Larry Henry said "we're thankful for the political awakening in this nation."
Those remarks were a lead-in to Mr. Coker asking the 30 or so people in attendance to make a donation -- preferably a monthly one -- to the group.
He said those funds would be used for "operational functions" in local, partisan races, things such as voter registration drives and purchasing lists of registered voters. The money generally would not go to specific candidates, Mr. Coker said.
Jeff Brown, chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, said he thinks it's "a big mistake to equate local and national issues." He said local Democrats have not started a similar group.
"We have plenty of enthusiasm on our side," he said.
COUNTY ELECTION DATES* April 14-29: Early voting in county primary* May 4: County primary* July 16-31: Early voting in county general election* Aug. 5: County general election
Mr. Brown said complaints about the national Democratic majority don't apply to state and local government, where Republicans hold more seats.
"(The Republicans) haven't done what they've needed to do for the state of Tennessee," he said.
But Mr. Coker left attendees at Thursday's meeting with an adage he said applies to all levels of power.
"It does matter who governs," he said.