GALLATIN, Tennessee — With great fanfare, and with help from Donald Trump Jr., U.S. Senate Republican candidate Bill Hagerty opened his first campaign office Tuesday in Gallatin, his hometown.
Trump gave a speech.
There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
🎉WE ARE OPEN🎉 Thank you @DonaldJTrumpJr,@kimguilfoyle & #TeamHagerty for a great launch of our hometown office in Gallatin! pic.twitter.com/3x6szQiTgA
— Team Hagerty (@TeamHagerty) January 28, 2020
And campaign volunteer Jack Bratten, who came all the way from Brentwood, said he wants to see Hagerty win. Bratten said he will do his part to help make it happen.
“I love what Bill Hagerty is doing. I really support him and he is going to help make Tennessee better. He’s going to work with the president, and he will bring more jobs here to Tennessee. I can’t wait to see what else he will do,” Bratten told The Tennessee Star.
Bratten said he expects to work as a volunteer full-time, and into the summer, if necessary.
But Bratten said the best part of this day was meeting the president’s son.
“Oh it was so exciting. I was super thrilled that not only I got to meet him but that he and his family want to help Bill Hagerty out with the campaign and that they really support him. I was really excited for him,” Bratten said.
“I got to take a picture with him. It was good. I went on stage and gathered around him and took a picture. I also got a selfie, which I know is pretty exciting.”
The primary is scheduled for Aug. 6.
Hagerty staff told The Star the candidate will open other campaign offices around the state, although they did not specify where, exactly.
Donald Trump Jr. told a crowd in Gallatin earlier that day that Hagerty “was on the Trump train before it was politically expedient.” And that, Trump went on to say, is why his dad endorsed Hagerty so early in the campaign.
Trump and his girlfriend, former FOX News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle, spoke at a fundraiser for Hagerty at Gallatin’s EPIC Event Centre.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Bill Hagerty and Donald Trump Jr.” by Bill Hagerty.
Starting out just like Lamar Alexander. You said you would contest the outcomes of the states that were in question, but in true spineless republican fashion, you did just the opposite. I hope you are a one term senator and please take Trump pics down, you are a typical swamp rat already.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR STANDING UP AGAINST VOTER FRAUD!
Mr. Hagerty, I am greatly disappointed in your’s and Dr. Sethi’s immense negative campaigning.
In the primary, I have decided that I will not vote for neither of you, but will vote for a lesser known candidate who has no chance of winning. I have tried to research both of your positions and find them very similar and it was going to be very hard to decide for whom I would vote. I know you both will say many of these are PAC ads and not of your campaign, but I also understand these PACs are connected closely with your campaigns. The first candidate that will disavow the negative campaign ads prior to August 6 can gain my vote. Also, finding away to contact your campaign was quite a chore. Thank you for reading my email.
Why isn’t Bill Hagerty standing with Donald Trump on hydrochloric win if it would cut the death rate in half why is Annette a good thing why don’t he come out and support it
My. Hagerty, I just ended an exhaustive phone survey! Though it prompted me to read further about your political beliefs and actions, I resent how lengthy it was! We are constantly bombarded by telemarketers and politicians! I really am quite impressed by w hat I have found and plan to vote for you! I do not mind surveys that are short but, would rather have gotten an informative newsletter in mail.