In a Wednesday press release, Hamilton County Commissioner Tm Boyd said his challenger in the May Republican Primary is getting much of his support from Democrats.

On Tuesday speaking to a group of Republican women,  East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert spoke proudly of his ability to get support from Democrats and his ability to work “across the aisle” with Democrats on the Hamilton County Commission, 14 days before the Republican Primary for County Commissioner in District 8, Boyd said in the press release.

Lambert also used part of his five minutes tell the packed room of an estimated 60 Republican women his credentials as a “real Republican,” mentioning his time as president of the Young Republicans and as Treasurer of the Hamilton County Republican Party. Monday afternoon, both incumbent Republican  Boyd and Lambert spoke to another, much smaller GOP women’s club in East Ridge.                                          

Lambert’s campaign has received a $1,500 political donation from former Mayor Jon Kinsey, a long-time leading Democrat in Hamilton County who joined three other members closely tied to the Convention and Visitors Bureau on the “host committee” for Lambert’s only fundraiser. John Foy, a respected businessman and a prominent local Democrat, joined Mayor Kinsey on the “host committee.”

The Lambert campaign did not return a phone call seeking comment.

“Does Lambert even know that there are seven, solid Republicans on the County Commission,” the two-term incumbent Boyd said. “He may have to reach across the aisle to Washington or California to find someone to listen to him.”

Boyd also had five minutes to address the large group of Republican women in Hixson at the Morning Point Facility. He was the only candidate present to stop and ask if those in attendance had any questions. He opened his remarks praising the work the Republican Women’s Club has done in Hamilton County over decades, adding that the women in the club represented “real Republican values.”

“I didn’t have any idea wha I was doing in 2010 and the ladies of this club took me under their wings,” Boyd told the group. “You had my first fundraiser. You brought me food, and when as the women walked out, they dropped money in the fundraising bucket.”

Boyd’s main point in his remarks was the fact that the only real sign of an actual Lambert campaign was the work done by paid activists from Unifi-Ed, a local non-profit education advocacy organization that created a political PAC late in 2017.

“This is the most liberal activist group I have ever read about anywhere in the country” said Boyd. “The leader of the non-profit is now leading the PAC, and he is a self-professed union organizer who proudly claims that he has more than 20 political campaigns– all for Democrats.”

The Unifi-Ed PAC paid staff knocked on doors in District 8 last week, passing out push cards for Lambert and other candidates in the May 1 county primary election. Lambert’s financial disclosure showed he paid more than $1,500 to Unifi-Ed for “staff support.” Lambert’s disclosure also showed he spent more than $2,100 on push cards, which equate to an estimated order of more than 6,000.

“Lambert apparently has a real affinity for Democrats,” said Boyd. “With Unifi-Ed, we now know he really loves young, paid, liberal Democrats who believe in socio-economic desegregation. I am sure that makes sense to Republican voters.”

Jonas Barriere, the Executive Director of Unifi-Ed Action PAC said his organization is involved with Lambert’s campaign because he is the stronger of the two candidates on education issues. He said that Boyd’s statement about financial disclosures showing Boyd paying UnifiEd, $1,500 is wrong. UnifiEd’s staff gave “in-kind” support to Lambert. UnifiEd Action PAC paid its staff to work on Lambert’s behalf in a recent canvas of neighborhoods in East Ridge were campaign information was distributed.

“Unifi-Ed Action PAC is committed to ensuring that Hamilton County has the best possible public leadership in order to build an excellent public school system,” Barriere said in an e-mailed statement. “Tim Boyd agrees with our mission. That is why he applied for our endorsement and his campaign staff lobbied us for it. We endorsed Mayor Lambert because he is the best leader for District 8.

“Mayor Lambert has been and will continue to be a champion for public schools,” he said. “Tim Boyd has failed our public schools in his eight years as commissioner. It appears that Tim Boyd will do or say anything to distract the voters from his pending felony charges.”