Rep. Roger Williams Headlines Coryell County Lincoln-Reagan Fundraiser in Gatesville

U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, headlined the Coryell County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln‑Reagan fundraising dinner at the Texas Station Event Center, 305 Old Fort Gates Rd., in Gatesville on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, drawing “more than 100” Coryell County residents, KDH News reported.

The event, organized by the Coryell County Republican Party, ran from 6 to 8 p.m., according to a Gatesville Messenger event listing, and was billed as a fundraiser to help run the county party office and to support candidates in the 2026 general election. Party chairman Jack Barcroft framed the dinner as a nod to party heritage, saying, “This is to pay homage to where we come from. It’s an opportunity for like-minded individuals to have some fellowship and meet with local candidates for office.”

Williams delivered the keynote address as the headliner for the Gatesville dinner. In remarks reported by KDH News, Williams said, “I would like to say thank you to all the elected officials who are out here tonight and thank you to all the candidates running for office. It’s tough to be a candidate, it’s tough on families. So I want to say thank you for your willingness to serve.”

A ceremonial presentation marked a local leadership transition: Williams and Barcroft presented a commemorative plaque to Jack Wall, Coryell County commissioner of Precinct 1, to commemorate his upcoming retirement. The KDH News photo of the presentation is credited to David A. Bryant and shows Williams centered with Barcroft at right as they honored Wall at the Texas Station Event Center.

KDH described the Gatesville dinner as a small-county political event that attracted local activists, party leaders, and multiple candidates who used the evening to meet voters and speak one-on-one with officeholders. Both KDH and the Gatesville Messenger noted the dinner’s role as a candidate-engagement opportunity ahead of the general election rather than as a policy forum.

County GOP Lincoln‑Reagan dinners are a recurring format across Texas; as context, a separate Chambers County dinner reported a turnout of more than 200 guests with U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt as keynote, and Denton County GOP materials list past speakers such as Dana Loesch and Congressman Ronny Jackson. Those events are separate from Coryell County’s dinner and illustrate how county parties use the Lincoln‑Reagan label for fundraising and outreach.

The Gatesville event reaffirmed the Coryell County Republican Party’s organizational priorities heading into the 2026 general election, with leaders emphasizing fundraising for the county office and in-person candidate access as primary goals for the evening.