ROSSVILLE — A slew of Tennessee’s highest-ranking politicians attended an event hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga chapter of Turning Point USA, the organization founded by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and encouraged the students to build the future of conservatism.
About 200 people attended the event to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, state Sen. Bo Watson, R-North Chattanooga, state Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs all spoke to the crowd.
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“I know many of you are wondering what the future may hold for you. What kind of country do you want to inherit? And I think the question comes down to this: It’s what kind of country are you willing to build?” Hagerty said at the Thursday night event. “The people in this room that are my age, the community leaders, the other leaders that will speak behind me, we believe in this message. We believe in the dream of America. And I can tell you, the rest of the world does, too. That’s why they’re all trying to come to it.”
UTC Turning Point chapter hosts Tennessee’s top politicians
Each of the college students serving as chapter board members stood on stage and shared one thing they love about Turning Point. Affirmation of their belief in God and sharing their faith were mentioned most and centrally by the 11 club members.
“Definitely, the most important part of what we do here at Turning Point USA is sharing the Gospel,” said Markus Fee, chapter marketing chair.
The students said they don’t consider their religious and political beliefs to be separate.
“I feel like for so long we’ve heard, ‘Keep the church and state separate,'” said Raegan Becquet, a chapter board member and UTC student. “And I’m so sick of hearing that. If Jesus is going to guide me a certain way, I’m going to follow that, no matter what area of my life that’s in.”
Political and religious interests are also blended for chapter Secretary Maddie Pickel, she said.
“I’m all about politics,” Pickel said. “I’m all about God, like liberty, like faith, all that kind of stuff.”
Kirk was a Christian and said he wanted to promote foundational Christian values. In 2022, he started Turning Point Faith, a new arm of the organization.
Some of the elected officials who spoke at the event Thursday also mentioned the importance of faith.
Burchett discussed the role God played in his political ascent, and Lowe incorporated Scripture into his speech. The politicians urged the college students to engage in politics, emphasizing its importance for maintaining and growing conservatism, noting Turning Point as a partner in these efforts.
“We’re in a move now that’s very antiestablishment, but let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water, right?” Lowe said. “What people label the establishment is oftentimes what people who have broken their backs, sacrificed their egos and put their reputations on the line for conservatism to take Tennessee where it is.”
The line dancing-themed event, dubbed “red, white and boots,” was at the Emerson, an event venue. Other local political figures attended, including Tennessee Reps. Michelle Reneau, R-Hixson, and Greg Martin, R-Hixson. Gail Greene, chair of the Hamilton County Republican Party, and Sheri Darling, president of the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club, a GOP group, were also present.
“It really just came from everyone wanting to do something, but we just didn’t think we could,” said Pickel, who helped lead efforts to organize the event. “Then, when we got the support from everyone on the outside and students who wanted to have speakers, that just really made us confident we should do the event.”
Pickel said Reneau, along with the Hamilton County Republican Party and the Pachyderm club, contributed financially to the event. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who did not attend, and Hagerty both helped the chapter with planning and made financial contributions, Pickel said.
Every candidate who spoke was asked to contribute by purchasing a VIP ticket for $580, Pickel said. She said in addition to inviting Blackburn, who is running for governor of Tennessee, the chapter invited two other Republican candidates for governor, U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Cookeville, and state Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston. Pickel said both declined the invitation and that Fritts said he did not want to pay to speak.
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Pickel said the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office provided free security. Two Sheriff’s Office cars and four deputies were present. C&B Linens, based in Waynesboro, Tennessee, donated free linens for the event, said Sophie Fuller, president of the UTC Turning Point USA chapter.
Chapter leaders worried they wouldn’t have much community support, particularly because they had trouble getting their chapter approved on campus, Pickel said.
“Since we did get denied as a chapter at the beginning, nobody really likes us being on campus,” she said by phone. “We were kinda stressing out about not having the kind of support behind us, until we kind of reached out to people around us — like our GOP, Pachyderm Club, the Tellico Conservative Club — that wanted to help out.”
(READ MORE: UTC student government denies Turning Point USA chapter bid)
In October, the Student Government Association voted against the UTC Turning Point USA chapter when students first registered. A favorable vote serves as a recommendation to the Dean of Students Office. That office ultimately has the power to authorize clubs and cleared the chapter a couple of days later.
At the time, Kenyan King, a senator in the UTC student government who voted against the chapter, said the group didn’t have a place on campus.
“Turning Point USA has a national track record of harassment, misinformation and intimidation,” he said. “Recognizing a chapter here would not advance discourse in any capacity — it would endanger.”
(READ MORE: Turning Point USA chapter OK’d at UTC)
Both Fuller and Pickel said they have experienced negativity from their UTC peers in association with Turning Point and political beliefs.
The politicians all encouraged the students to be conservative leaders despite criticism.
“Don’t let criticism discourage you. Don’t let hate discourage you. Don’t be afraid to lead,” Watson said. “Don’t be afraid to stand at the front door, don’t be afraid to be at the tip of the spear, because of your engagement.”
Kirk’s assassination Sept. 10 rocked the country and the Chattanooga area. More than a dozen vigils were held in Chattanooga, and the number of Turning Point USA high school and college chapters has grown.
As of April, there are more than a dozen Turning Point USA chapters in Chattanooga area schools, said Lakie Derrick, Turning Point USA’s East Tennessee volunteer field representative. Pickel said UTC Turning Point chapter membership had recently dwindled, and she hopes Thursday’s event will boost attendance.
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Contact politics reporter Ruby Rayner at rrayner@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6556.