Bill To Prohibit Out-Of-State Political Action Committees From Influencing TN GOP Primary Elections Dies In Senate Committee At The Hands Of Republicans

Image Credit: TN General Assembly

The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

A bill that would have prohibited out-of-state political action committees (PACs) from influencing Republican primary elections died in the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday when all seven Republican senators present either voting No, or choosing to abstain.

The final vote was 7 NOs and 2 Present Not Voting.

Republican Senators voting against the bill were Chair Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville-District 7), Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10), Tom Hatcher (R-Maryville-District 2), Ed Jackson (R-Jackson-District 25), Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun-District 1), and Page Walley (R-Savannah-26). Senator Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield-District 23) passed.

Senate Bill 1040 (SB1040)  sought to put an end to the practice of PACs that are headquartered in other states from making contributions, including in-kind contributions, to candidates in a state primary election, specifically in Republican races.

Bill sponsor Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma-District 16) said before the vote that her bill was “simply an attempt to make certain Republican primaries in the state of Tennessee are controlled by Republicans in the state of Tennessee.”

The Tennessee Conservative has reported on the millions of dollars from out-of-state groups that were poured into promoting pro-school choice voucher candidates in several primary contests in 2024.

PACs that supported Governor Bill Lee’s “school choice” plan ran a slew of negative campaign ads that targeted lawmakers who were against the private school entitlement program that has since passed following a special session that wrapped up last week.

Much of the money came by way of the School Freedom Fund, which spent $8.8 million in Texas to defeat 10 incumbent Republicans who were opposed to the voucher program in their state.

School Freedom Fund President David McIntosh said last year in a statement, “If you call yourself a Republican and oppose school freedom, you should expect to lose your next primary.”

The infusion of funds from the super PAC, with ties to Club for Growth’s billionaire Jeff Yass, into attack ads led to Conservative lawmakers Senator Frank Niceley, of Strawberry Plains, and state Representative Bryan Richey, of Maryville (running for the Senate seat of retiring Senator Art Swann) losing their respective primaries.

During discussion on the bill, Roberts voiced concerns that the bill would considerably narrow the scope of Citizens v. FEC, a United States Supreme Court decision that he said was pivotal, and “opened the floodgates on a lot of campaign spending.”

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.