Image Credit: elevate-2025.com
Press Release –
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (Feb. 12, 2025) — Eight grassroots conservative candidates running under the “Elevate 2025” banner have announced their candidacy for the biennial Williamson County Republican Party (WCRP) reorganization convention on March 4th at Liberty Hall in The Factory, Franklin.
These Elevate 2025 candidates are experienced and principled conservative grassroots leaders who have pledged to stay true to the values of the Republican Party and build on the tremendous progress made under the current leadership of the WCRP. A summary of accomplishments are listed on the Elevate website, www.Elevate-2025.com. They include the following:
- Increased membership 68%.
- Increased Chairman’s Circle donations by 62%.
- Quadrupled funding to Republican candidates with in-kind and cash donations.
- Quadrupled the party’s cash on hand from a starting balance of $40,000 in April 2023 to an estimated $160,000 by the end of their term.
- Reduced illegal crossover voting in Republican primaries by 43% with a targeted educational campaign to Williamson County voters.
The current leaders of the WCRP were elected by members of the party by a 2-1 margin in the 2023 reorganization. Five of the eight are seeking re-election on the Elevate 2025 slate. They are:
- Diane Chenard for 1st vice chair; currently serving as secretary.
- Elliott Franklin for 2nd vice chair; currently serving as 2nd vice chair.
- Courtney Laginess for 3rd chair; currently serving as treasurer.
- Tim Raynaud for treasurer; currently serving as assistant treasure.
- Brandon Bell for assistant treasurer; currently serving as 3rd vice chair.
The three new candidates are:
- Steve Hickey for chairman. Hickey is a retired Air Force fighter pilot with extensive leadership experience ranging from leading combat missions to developing a Pacific Air Forces-award winning fighter wing safety program to building vital military-to-military partnerships around the globe at Air Force International Affairs. He is a commercial pilot and has taken a leadership role in local politics, helping elect several conservative candidates to office and also serving as a poll watcher.
- Leigh Ann Cates for secretary. Cates is an award-winning realtor, volunteer coordinator for the Williamson County Republican Party and poll watcher in local elections.
- Peg Raciti for assistant secretary. Raciti is a professional photographer and graphic artist. She is communications director for Williamson County Moms for Liberty and Tennessee Fair Elections county leader. She formerly served as an award-winning library assistant for special collections for the Williamson County Public Library.
Full bios for each candidate are available at https://www.elevate-2025.com/candidates.
Meet the Candidates in the video below:
The group is proud to follow the progress made the past 22 months, particularly in the areas of transparency, accountability and enhanced communication with members. The Elevate team plans to build on the 2023 team’s outstanding fundraising, fiscal responsibility and faithful adherence to the Republican party’s platform. In addition, the current leadership has supported every Republican candidate in general elections in a fair and equitable manner, unlike the previous leadership.
The Elevate group will faithfully adhere to the Republican Party’s platform, which is seeking to expand the WCRP’s base and involve conservatives from all communities within Williamson County, ensuring their voices are heard and their concerns addressed.
“Our county party is as strong as it’s ever been,” Hickey said, “and we are excited to elevate it to even higher levels.In doing so, we will be respectful of any differences and build on the things that unite us as Republicans.”
He noted that the Elevate 2025 candidates offer valuable leadership experience and an excellent history of promoting and advancing conservative values.“Our team walks the walk, and we have the track record to back that up.”
As a candidate, Hickey has made truth a priority and aims to foster an environment where truth is sought, spoken and upheld at all levels of government.
An opposing group of candidates dishonestly claims on their website that they are “THE ONLY Conservative ticket” running for the WCRP board in the March 4 reorganization convention.
Whether these competing candidates are intentionally misleading local Republican voters with such a demonstrably false statement — or they lack the ability to recognize true conservatives — the Elevate 2025 candidates will continue to focus on the issues, emphasize party unity and promote truth over attempts to divide conservatives with deceptive statements.
“Political campaigns have a tendency to become hyperbolic, which is truly a shame for an electorate hungry for truth,” Hickey said. “We are confident our message and our actions will demonstrate to the conservative voters of Williamson County that the Elevate 2025 team is the right choice to lead the WCRP. We invite county Republicans to visit our site and learn more about us and our plans for the future of the WCRP. We are eager to engage with the Republican base who overwhelmingly elected Donald Trump our 47th president, giving a mandate to implement the will of the people.”
Bona fide Republican voters are encouraged to preregister to ensure eligibility. Registration opens at 4:30 pm and closes at 6 pm. People who are not in line by 6 pm will not be admitted or allowed to vote. To register, visit https://williamsongop.org/2025-wcrp-reorganization.
