***Update – We’ve added three more candidates to our Endorsement list: Kip Capley, Lee Mills and Dr. Dean Clouse – check below!***
By Brandon Lewis [Founder of The Tennessee Conservative]-
Somebody once told me, “I don’t know the secret to happiness, but the secret to misery is to try and please everyone.”
With that said, here are my endorsements for various candidates running for office in Tennessee right now. It won’t “please” everyone.
So many people keep asking me who to vote for, I have decided to go ahead and publish these with the assistance of our editorial staff here at TTC.
Before you read the list, please keep these three things in mind…
1 – Policy Over Personality – At the Tennessee Conservative, we don’t really care if you’re a “good guy.” We care about practical policy, voting records and your history of behavior as it relates to legislation and administration. This is about filling a job, not cultivating a friendship.
2 – RINOs/Benchwarmers vs. Conservative Challengers – We need brave, bold Conservatives in positions of power. If someone has a bad or mediocre record as a Conservative, we will often gamble with an alternative. The status quo of corporately driven and funded leftism in GOP leadership is not acceptable. We will take our chances with new blood vs. the PAC paymasters and those they control.
3 – Don’t Get Mad at Us – Conservatives should be able to support different candidates without getting all riled up at each other. If you take things personally each election season, you will soon find you have a beef with everyone you meet – and that’s no fun.
Below is the Tennessee Conservative’s list of endorsements for the 2022 election season. We may add more candidates to our list of endorsements as time goes on.
As you can see from the list, we are endorsing multiple candidates that are running against Republican incumbents, many are RINO’s while some are moderate benchwarmers.
The fact is, we never truly know how a new individual will perform once elected to office. But we certainly know how those who have held office have performed and their track records demonstrate that it’s time for a change.
This list, in our opinion, reflects the candidates that we believe would best serve Conservative principles should they be elected or re-elected to office.
Tennessee Senate
State Senate District 5: Earle Segrest (running against incumbent Randy McNally)
Earle Segrest is an America First candidate. He owes nothing to PACs, corporations, lobbyists or special interest groups and says he cannot be bought. Segrest believes in term limits and honest elections. Segrest is for school choice, parental rights and pro-life and is a constitutionalist who will defend the state constitution and liberty.
State Senate District 7: Kent Morrell (running against incumbent Richard Briggs)
Kent Morrell says he has seen “how the legislative sausage is made” and points voters to a website documenting the incumbent’s voting record: www.BadBillBriggs.com
Morrell says he is the true conservative Republican in the race for District 7. Morrell is an advocate for healthcare reform, parental rights, tax relief and fiscal responsibility. He is pro-life and fully supports the second amendment.
State Senate District 8: Frank Niceley (running for re-election)
Senator Niceley has a consistent Conservative voting record. Niceley made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee Senate.
State Senate District 11: Bo Watson (running for re-election)
In the last session of the General Assembly, Senator Bo Watson sponsored legislation to protect freedom of speech on social media platforms for Tennesseans. He is also a thoughtful caretaker of taxpayer-dollar spending as Chair of the Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
Watson made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee Senate.
State Senate District 13: Dawn White (running for re-election)
Senator White headed up a committee that tried to find answers to Tennessee’s illegal immigration problem and was very communicative about providing us with status updates. White made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee Senate.
State Senate District 16: Janice Bowling (running for re-election)
Senator Janice Bowling has consistently voted conservatively during her career in the Tennessee Senate and has sponsored legislation concerning election integrity, Tennessee state sovereignty and parent’s rights. She has also been a strong voice against government overreach, wasteful government spending and unconstitutional mandates.
Due to her voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Bowling was named the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP Conservative Legislator of the Year in the Tennessee Senate.
State Senate District 17: Mark Pody (running for re-election)
Senator Mark Pody has consistently been pro-life and pro-Conservative legislation throughout his career in the Tennessee Senate. He has also sponsored legislation to demand transparency from taxpayer-funded lobbyists. Due to his voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Pody made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee Senate.
State Senate District 27: Gary Humble (running against incumbent Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson)
Gary Humble is a strong Conservative voice against government overreach and unconstitutional mandates that have negatively affected Tennessean’s livelihoods and infringed upon their personal freedoms. Humble believes in accountability for our elected officials and adherence to the state and U.S. Constitution.
Humble is running against Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who hasn’t been terrible in his role, but failed to stand up and fight if it meant going against the Governor’s wishes.
State Senate District 28: Joey Hensley (running for re-election)
Senator Joey Hensley has a consistent record of voting conservatively and has sponsored medical freedom, anti-abortion, anti-CRT bills. Hensley has also sponsored bills protecting Tennessee’s children and has stood against corporate welfare and illegal immigration.
Due to his voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Hensley made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee Senate.
Tennessee House of Representatives
State House District 12: Larry Linton (running against incumbent Dale Carr)
Linton is a Conservative Constitutionalist who believes in the Christian inspired founding principles and documents that established our Constitutional Republic. He believes liberty is both a precious gift from our Creator, and a great responsibility to preserve for our future generations.
State House District 18: Elaine Davis (running for seat vacated by Eddie Mannis)
Mannis was censured by West Knox Republicans for consistent opposition to conservative efforts and promotion of leftist ideology. Elaine Davis is Vice Chair of Knox GOP (currently taking a leave of absence while running). Many Conservatives say the other Republican running, Janet Testerman, is “Mannis 2.0.”
State House District 20: Bryan Richey (running against incumbent Bob Ramsey)
Ramsey chairs the House Health Subcommittee. That Subcommittee killed many good bills this last session. Ramsey voted to raise the gas tax, supported repealing voter ID laws, and also sponsored a bill that would have allowed minors to receive medical procedures, including vaccines, without parental consent or knowledge.
State House District 32: Monty Fritts
Monty Fritts believes that all Tennesseans are essential and have a God-given right to earn a living for their families. Fritts says that parents are the final arbiters of what their children learn and that medical freedom is a basic right and decisions regarding such are not delegated to governments and corporations. Fritts promises to fight for the voices and values of District 32 over out-of-state PACs and corporations and uphold the Tennessee state constitution.
State House District 36: Dennis Powers (running for re-election)
Representative Powers has a consistent record of voting conservatively and has sponsored legislation to protect freedom of speech on social media platforms for Tennesseans. He has also sponsored legislation to combat illegal immigration in Tennessee.
Due to his voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Powers was named the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP Conservative Legislator of the Year in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
State House District 40: Terri Lynn Weaver (running for re-election)
Representative Weaver is one of the biggest fighters for freedom in the House. She has fought the good fight for years for parental rights and medical freedom. Due to her voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Weaver made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee House.
State House District 59: Michelle Foreman
Michelle Foreman, a member of the Tennessee SEC, has supported policies that limit government overreach, put taxpayer interests ahead of special interests, and get government out of the way of the hardworking men and women creating opportunities and growing our state economy. She also has been and continues to be a fighter against crossover voting in the state of Tennessee.
State House District 63: Laurie Cardoza-Moore
Laurie Cardoza-Moore has been active in speaking out against Critical Race Theory for over a decade. Her platform includes: Getting CRT out of our schools, Stopping Federal Vax & Mask Mandates, and Securing the Voting Process against Voter Fraud. Laurie is Pro-Life and stands for small-businesses, low taxes and the second amendment.
State House District 64: Scott Cepicky (running for re-election)
Representative Cepicky has a consistent record of voting conservatively and has sponsored bills to protect Tennessee’s children from obscene classroom materials, among others.
Due to his voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Cepicky made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee House.
State House District 70: Clay Doggett (running for re-election)
Representative Doggett is a strong second amendment advocate and has sponsored bills regarding medical freedom, among others.
Due to his voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Doggett made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee House.
State House District 71: Kip Capley
A 7th generation Tennessean with a vision for conservative values, Capley is an advocate for lowering taxes to reduce the burden of inflation on families while protecting the future of small businesses and entrepreneurs. Capley promises to “work tirelessly to reduce health care costs and ensure access to care is readily available” and to also “sponsor legislation to provide improved resources for educators and students.” He is pro-life, and supports law enforcement and first responders. He believes in freedom and defending constitutional rights, especially the 2nd Amendment. He is a Maury County Friends of the NRA member, and Tennessee Firearms Associate member. He is also a Turning Point USA founding member.
State House District 92: Todd Warner (running for re-election)
Representative Warner sponsored the Patient Protection bill last session that died a swift death under Ramsey in the House Health Subcommittee. He has also sponsored legislation to demand transparency from taxpayer-funded lobbyists.
Due to his voting record and consistent stance supporting Conservative values, Warner made the Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 Freedom Caucus Conservatives in the Tennessee House.
State House District 99: Lee Mills (running against incumbent Tom Leatherwood)
Mills is an airline pilot – not a career politician. Mills promises to fight to limit the size and scope of government, protect 1st and 2nd amendment rights, ensure personal choice in medical treatment, protect life, and be tough on crime. He also aims to ensure West Tennessee gets its fair share of infrastructure funds and will promote economic and workforce development.
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. House – Tennessee District 5: Andy Ogles
Andy Ogles, Maury County Mayor, has a track record of supporting local, state, and federal policies that promote economic freedom and create opportunities that improve the lives of Tennesseans. He also led the charge against federal government overreach impacting the medical freedoms of Tennesseans before it became popular to do so.
U.S. House – Tennessee District 8: Dr. Dean Clouse (running against incumbent David Kustoff)
Dr. Clouse recognizes the need for a real conservative who will use their voice to fight for election integrity nationwide, fight against tyrannical government overreach through unconstitutional mandates, and to fight indoctrination of our children in schools.
Clouse says, “We need conservatives who will not vote for things like the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act that gives the federal government access to protected health information. And we need conservatives in Congress who are not as quiet as a church mouse until a few months before primaries when they begin photo ops and tours.”
Tennessee Judges
District 75 Circuit Court Judge: Bruce Griffey
As the Republican representative in the Tennessee House for District 75, Griffey worked tirelessly to fight against illegal immigration. He also fought for the protection of our children in Tennessee Schools from damaging ideologies, the protection and expansion of our second amendment rights, and the protection of the unborn. His Conservative values will no doubt benefit the Volunteer state should he be elected as Circuit Court Judge.
GOP State Executive Committee (SEC)
SEC, 2nd Senatorial District – Mark Pulliam – (write-in candidate)
Pulliam says, “I am a lifelong, devoted Reagan Republican — what we used to call a “movement conservative.” My beliefs have not wavered. As a retired person, I have time to devote to keeping Tennessee conservative. I want to make the Republican Party in Tennessee an effective voice for the overwhelming majority of conservative residents. I can use my experience from other states to help the State Executive Committee meet the challenges of population growth, demographic change, and shifting cultural attitudes. What happens in D.C. is largely out of our control, but that is not true at the state or local levels.
Hamilton County Endorsements
School Board – Larry Grohn & Virginia Anne Manson: “Hey, I know these two folks personally as stand-up Conservatives and I attend church with them. They need your support!” – Brandon Lewis
Listen, if you love what we do with the news articles, interviews, memes and in-depth coverage like the RINO Report… for the love of God and all things holy…
Please chip in a few bucks. Be part of the committed 4% that support our work financially as we cut through the B.S. you get fed daily by Tennessee’s left-leaning media (and the Uniparty.)
Without your financial support, there is no Tennessee Conservative News.
Sincerely,
Brandon Lewis
Founder, The Tennessee Conservative
6 Responses
Absolutely nothing here for me.
U.S. Congress 8
State Senate 24
State House 74
Thank you Brandon and staff for adding Kip Capley…
Do you have any recommendations regarding:
. Court of appeals judges
. Court of criminal appeals judges
If you lived in Mr Watson’s district you would know better.
This site needs a district map and be able to place your address in and see who represents you. You list districts like street names or something. We need a map!
Any thoughts??
US House: 6
TN Senate: 18
TN House: 44
Judicial: 18