GALLATIN — Donald Trump Jr. told a crowd in Gallatin Tuesday that Tennessee Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty “was on the Trump train before it was politically expedient.”
And that, Trump went on to say, is why his dad, U.S. Republican President Donald Trump, 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.
Gallatin is Hagerty’s hometown.
“It is safe to say that in a Republican primary today, unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for four or five years, my father’s endorsement is a pretty big deal,” Trump told the audience.
“I also understand how primary politics works, and it’s not so easy. You never know what really happens. I can’t think of another individual who has been endorsed this early by my father. That’s everything you need to know. My father trusts him. He believes in him, as Bill believed in him when so few actually did.”
Hagerty, meanwhile, described himself as a fourth-generation Tennessean who grew up raising cattle and pigs. Hagerty said he’s running to replace the retiring U.S. Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander because he wants future generations to have the same opportunities Hagerty had.
“When President Trump gave me his complete and total endorsement, he did so because he wants an ally, a Christian conservative who will stand with him and against the Democrats and their calls for radical socialism and against those Republicans who at times are weak and want to side with the Democrats and impeach our president,” Hagerty said.
“I will stand against that.”
Hagerty also said he will, among other things, stand strong against crime, will work for secure borders, and will help the president build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Guilfoyle told audience members about all of Trump’s accomplishments in office and why it’s important for Tennessee voters to elect candidates who will help him carry out his agenda.
“Think about what the president of the United States is up against every single day, despite record accomplishments across the board. We need to send him our finest, our best, our greatest patriots to fight and hold the line with President Trump because Tennessee is worth it and America is worth it,” Guilfoyle said.
“When you look at the other side, my goodness, they have lost their minds. But we have not lost our way, have we?”
Hagerty previously served as Trump’s ambassador to Japan.
Nashville trauma surgeon Manny Sethi, also a Republican, wants to replace Alexander.
As The Tennessee Star reported in September, Hagerty said he decided to run after he “saw the threat to Tennessee and our country from the Democrats’ socialist agenda.”
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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.
[…] Star reported last month, Hagerty hosted Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, former FOX News personality Kimberly […]
[…] The Tennessee Star reported last month, Hagerty hosted Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, former FOX News personality Kimberly […]
The bad news is that in a race between Bill Hagerty from Establishment Central Casting and Chairman Manny, Republican Establishment Hanger-On, for conservatives it’s a choice of who you least want to be your next U. S. Senator. The good news is that conservatives needn’t spend any money contributing to either candidate in this contest. This will allow us to save our money with an eye to supporting a solid conservative candidate for the open seat in Tennessee’s First Congressional District as we look for a replacement to tepid conservative (on the chillier side) Phil Roe (Heritage-70%).
Guilfoyle is right, “we need to send him our finest, our best, our greatest patriots to fight and hold the line with President Trump.”
The one problem with this whole picture, Hagerty is just an establishment hack! And just like Ambassador Sondland (another big Trump contributor who was given an ambassador position in return), or Mitt Romney, as soon as the “pressure” is on, he’ll turn on Trump and the American people in a heartbeat!
Also, didn’t Diane Black lose her home town, Gallatin/Sumner County, in her bid to be Governor? Hagerty will spend a ton of money, but will still lose.