At only 19 years old, Loudon County native Elijah McNabb is starting the county’s first ever Young Republican Club, a branch of the Tennessee Young Republicans.

The Young Republican National Federation is a national organization comprised of 18 to 40 year olds, committed to putting conservative principles into action.

Anyone under 18 and over 40 years of age is eligible to be an associate member.

About six years ago, a Young Republican Club was established in Loudon County, but it eventually, and quickly, fizzled out.

Now, half a decade later, McNabb is restarting the club with hopes to get more young people involved.

McNabb said he has always had an interest in government and politics, serving on Student Council throughout school and currently enrolled in criminal justice at Pellissippi State Community College. He works for the Lenoir City Parks and Recreation Department, which he said also persuades his interest in local government.

In January, McNabb was interviewed by a local news station at his college about what he thought are the most important topics the state Legislature should focus on this year — gun safety, roadways, healthcare and education.

He said, “Young people need to demand a seat at the table where each one of those topics is being discussed.”

Students at PSCC were given a survey to fill out, and out of 900 students, McNabb and five others were chosen to be interviewed by the station. This turned into the spark he needed to start the club.

He began researching and contacting local Republican groups, including the Loudon County Republican Party, hoping to join a youth outreach program. That’s when he found the Young Republicans and was inspired to start the local group.

He quickly received support from the local parties, gaining support and mentorship on how to be established along the way.

“I think it’s important to get the youth involved and engaged in politics locally, statewide. Every decision made affects our future, and if we just sit idly by, not doing anything, nothing will get better,” McNabb said.

“Currently there are 23 counties involved with the bigger group, so I contacted the local leaders and the state people, and they said if I wanted to give it a shot, I could,” he said. “I hit the ground running.”

To be established as a Young Republican group, there has to be 10 people signed up. As of their first meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 28, McNabb said there were 17 people signed up.

During this meeting, the group elected Elijah McNabb as chairman, Will Jenkins as vice chair, Garret Norris as secretary, Nick Moser as treasurer and Trevor Branson as state liaison.

“It was very exciting and pleasing to have the youth actually attend something aimed at politics and local community and want to be involved,” McNabb said, regarding the group’s first meeting.”It was the start to a great movement within youth voters in our county.”

On Feb. 22, he presented an update of the Young Republicans of Loudon County to the Loudon County Republican Group Executive Committee. He informed the group of the progress he made finding — at the time — 15 members, and he encouraged them to join the group as associate members, meaning they are able to attend and be involved but they’re not able to vote.

Blair Griffin, 6th District representative for the Loudon County Republican Group Executive Committee, thanked McNabb during the meeting — stating that they are excited and always talk about how they need young people to be involved in the GOP.

“A chair person is only allowed to serve two years, and I hope in these two years … that I can make the foundation sturdy enough to go the distance longer than me,” McNabb said. “I don’t want this to be a season thing, I want it to have an everlasting impact on the community.”