Tennessee’s state GOP chairman won another term on Saturday, turning away a Tea Party challenge on Saturday.
{mosads}Chris Devaney, the state Republican chairman since 2009, easily defeated former state Rep. Joe Carr, who also unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) this year.
In a statement, Devaney noted that Republicans had make historic gains, at both the state and federal level, during his five years as chairman.
“While we have seen tremendous success in the last few years, our work is far from over,” Devaney said. “2016 is shaping up to be a historic opportunity to take back the White House. “With the enthusiasm that will generate, we will use that to strengthen this incredible foundation we have built here in Tennessee.”
Devaney defeated Carr by a 47-17 vote of the Tennessee GOP’s state executive committee, according to the Tennessean.
Carr said party members urged him to run against Devaney after his challenge to Alexander fell short, complaining that the GOP establishment had it out for conservatives.
Devaney denied that, according to the Tennessean, and warned against a “divided army” among the GOP.
“Look, we’re not always going to agree on every tactical issue or whatever but I think we can agree on a lot of core principals of the Republican Party,” Devaney said.