Holmes County GOP Hosts Annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Walnut Creek

The Holmes County Republican Party held its Annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Walnut Creek on Feb. 16, 2026, listed on the party’s events calendar as the county GOP’s signature winter fundraiser and social event. The party website also published local Veterans Services contact details alongside the event listing: phone (330) 674-4806, email dstackhouse@co.holmes.oh.us, and the county veterans site at hcohioveterans.com.

Holmes County Republican Party Chairman Rob Hovis is identified on party materials as the county chairman; a prior Wooster Daily Record account from Feb. 12, 2025 quoted Hovis saying, “things couldn't be better for the GOP,” and noted he “shared some numbers to back his claim in a state of the party report.” That Feb. 12, 2025 Daily Record excerpt included specific figures Hovis cited: “Republicans hold six of six statewide executive offices, including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer,” and “Republicans hold six of seven seats on the Ohio Supreme Court, including Chief Justice.”

The same Daily Record piece listed legislative and federal-seat totals Hovis used in his state-of-the-party remarks: “24 of the 33 State Senate seats are held by Republicans, and 65 of 99 seats in the State House of Representatives,” and at the national level “Republicans hold 219 of 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats hold 215,” and “Republicans hold 53 of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate. Democrats hold 45 seats.” The Feb. 12, 2025 account also reported party control counts for governorships and state legislatures: “Republicans hold 27 of 50 state governorships to 23 for Democrats,” and “Republicans control 28 of the 50 state senates and 29 of the 49 state house of representatives (Nebraska only has a state senate).”

Kevin Lynch’s Wooster Daily Record coverage named local and regional officials tied to a prior Lincoln Day Dinner in February 2025, reporting that State Sen. Andrew Brenner (District 19) and state Rep. Mark Hiner (District 98) “were in attendance Monday at the dinner held in Walnut Creek.” The Daily Record also paraphrased Brenner as saying, “things have started in the 136th General Assembly in Columbus, with a number of bills introduced regarding the elimination of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and energy production in the state, while working on things such as property taxes,” linking the local event to state-level legislative priorities that affect property-tax and energy policy.

The Daily Record excerpt further included a headline and line about State Treasurer Robert Sprague, “State treasurer: Government judged by two things - how it handles tax dollars and votes” and “State Treasurer Robert Sprague talks eliminating income tax one day in Ohio”, but the provided excerpt does not explicitly connect Sprague’s remarks to the Feb. 16, 2026 Holmes County dinner. The Feb. 12, 2025 Daily Record report is the explicit source for Hovis’s quote, the legislative and federal seat counts, Brenner’s remarks, and the naming of Brenner and Hiner at a Walnut Creek dinner; it predates the Feb. 16, 2026 event listed on the county GOP calendar.

Holmes County GOP web material carries standard party disclaimers and a 2025 copyright line, “Copyright 2025 Holmes County Republican Party - All Rights Reserved” and “Authorized and paid for by the Holmes County Republican Party. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.” The Ohio Republican Party maintains a statewide events calendar of county Lincoln and Reagan dinners and lists its headquarters at 471 E. Broad Street, Suite 1510, Columbus, with Alex Triantafilou named as chairman on OhioGOP materials.

It remains unconfirmed from the materials provided whether Rob Hovis, Sen. Andrew Brenner, Rep. Mark Hiner, or State Treasurer Robert Sprague who were reported at or quoted in the Feb. 12, 2025 account were speakers or attendees at the Feb. 16, 2026 dinner; fundraising totals, attendance counts, the 2026 speakers list, and venue specifics for the 2026 event were not published in the excerpts available. For veterans assistance and benefits questions tied to local party communications, contact Holmes County Veterans Services at (330) 674-4806 or dstackhouse@co.holmes.oh.us.