A Signal Mountain High School student is working to unite Democrats his age across Hamilton County.
Reed Hampton, a junior at Signal Mountain High School, has established the Hamilton County High School Democrats, a local chapter of the High School Democrats of America. Hampton is the county chapter’s interim chair.
“With the midterms coming up, we need a mobilized and excited and active wing of activists,” Hampton said in an interview, “especially within our youth group that can help support our candidates, help support the party, and the country and the state, and it’s never too early to get started.”
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Hampton, 17, founded the Signal Mountain High School Democrats in 2023. He said he wants to make the opportunities the Signal Mountain Democrats have had available to everyone in the area.
“What it really is,” Hampton said, “is giving people who are traditionally cut out of politics, our youth — especially our high schoolers — an opportunity to get involved with our government and with our elected officials.”
The Signal Mountain High School Democrats sponsored a debate in May between Republican Ben Daugherty and independent Crystal Boehm, the 2024 candidates for the Hamilton County school board seat that represents the Signal Mountain area. Daughtery won the race.
“That was a really great opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to the community,” Hampton said, “and moving forward, the Hamilton County and the Signal Mountain High School Democrats will both be involved in debating and helping out candidates and bringing candidates to the wider public.”
Hampton’s club also sponsored a fundraiser for Jack Allen, who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Southeast Tennessee, for his seat in Congress in the November general election. The group also did field work for Kathy Lennon, who ran and lost to now-state Rep. Michele Reneau, R-Hixson, for the seat previously held by longtime Republican incumbent Patsy Hazlewood in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Reed Hampton participates in a Democratic rally in Miller Park on Feb. 17, 2025. The Signal Mountain High School student has established a local chapter of the High School Democrats of America.(READ MORE: Kathy Lennon announces run for county Democratic Party chair)
It’s good to see young people involved in local politics, regardless of party affiliation, said Ryan Jenkins, a Soddy Daisy High School student and local GOP organizer.
“I think it’s good to see the Hamilton County Democrats helping get the high school Democrats going,” Jenkins said by phone, “and I feel like Republicans can do a better job getting young people involved.”
The Hamilton County High School Democrats will have its first meeting from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hamilton County Democratic Party headquarters on Bailey Avenue.
“I’m stoked that Reed and other high school Dems have decided to jump in the fray with us,” said Rachel Campbell, newly elected chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party, by phone. “I look forward to them holding our feet to the fire when it comes to policies that affect them.”
Campbell remains the chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party until the party’s March 8 reorganization, when delegates from the county’s commission districts will vote on new leadership.
Hampton said he plans to get the ball rolling on writing bylaws and seeing who would like to run for the chair and vice chair positions of the high school organization. Once there are candidates, Hampton said the group will hold an election.
He plans to step down from the chair position of the Signal Mountain High School Democrats and intends to run for chair of the Hamilton County High School Democrats.
The new countywide organization of high school Democrats may be the first of its kind in Hamilton County, according to Chris Anderson. Anderson is the senior advisor for legislative initiatives to Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly but was speaking on his experience as a lifelong local Democrat.
“Over the years, there have been a number of high school chapters of young Democrats,” Anderson said by phone, “but I think what Reed is doing, which I really admire, is he is trying to create a network of high school chapters across the county, and to my knowledge, that’s never existed.”
For more information, email hamcohsdems@gmail.com.
Contact Sarah Dolgin at sdolgin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6556.
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Reed Hampton participates in a Democratic rally Feb. 17, 2025, in Miller Park. The Signal Mountain High School student has established a local chapter of the High School Democrats of America.