Special Session Votes Could Come Back To Haunt The GOP In Primary Season 2024
The Issues That Will Be Presented In Governor Lee’s Special Session Could Have Consequences For Those Who Decide To Cast A Vote For Policies That Do Not Resonate With Their Constituents.
Image Credit: Peggy Anderson / CC
The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –
Back in 2021, Governor Bill Lee pushed through permitless carry, which is why Tennesseans may be somewhat bewildered about the special session coming up this week.
Some speculate that the reason for this special session is that in spite of all the push back the Tennessee Republican supermajority are receiving from their constituents via calls and emails, Lee has been affected by the shooting at Covenant in Nashville because one of the victims was a close friend of his wife Maria. That may be, though there is no hard evidence to preclude such a notion.
However, it has been remarked that while Lee is calling a special session to address the issue of gun violence in the wake of Covenant, during other appearances at other functions, he doesn’t mention the session or display any passion regarding the issue.
Many feel that if this is important enough to call a special session for only the 3rd time in the state’s history, then it should be of some grave importance and it would likely display itself in the same way it did in the state legislature just days after the shooting occurred.
In an increasing polarized political climate, it is becoming less and less common for those who represent their parties to do so as what most would consider a middle of the road or moderate fashion. For decades, until the election of 2016, the political climate produced politicians who had a letter after their name, and yet the policies that came from those people had no real variation in principle. The election of Donald Trump and the policies that underscored his presidency changed the way everyday republicans responded to their elected officials.
The 113th General assembly saw some new, more partisan additions to their ranks on both sides of the aisle. Reports indicate that this special session could have an influence on the primaries next year, as the votes that are cast this coming week, may come back to haunt those who cast them.
Specifically mentioned in a recent report is the 2022 primary race between 16-year incumbent Jack Johnson and Director of Tennessee Stands -a populist conservative grassroots organization’s Gary Humble. The reports describe Johnson as “quite conservative” and “effective”, and yet in the 2022 republican primary in Williamson County, Johnson eked out a win, beating Humble by less than 800 votes in an election where there was a total of over 24,000 votes cast.
In the meantime, on the other side of the aisle, candidates like Justin Jones, who is originally from and grew up in California’s ultra-progressive Bay Area, are becoming the chosen candidate not once, but twice as Jones was sworn in for the second time after having been expelled several months back.
With 223 total filings for this special session (that includes House Bills, Senate Bills, House and Senate Joint Resolutions, and House and Senate Resolutions) the issues that will be presented in this special session could likely have consequences for some of those who decide to cast a vote for policies that for various reasons do not resonate with their constituents.
The Center Square reports that the Special Session is already scheduled out through Thursday on this week, with a scheduled start of 4PM Central Time today, August 21st.
So far, the Senate has bills on notification between mental health facilities and local law enforcement related to patient releases, mental health funding for the uninsured, private school handgun carry policy, liability release related to stolen firearms that were properly stored, adding a charge for threatening mass violence and emergency procedures for active shooter situations.
Senate and House Democrats vowed Friday to introduce universal background checks, a red flag law, safe storage requirements and repealing a guns in trunks law.
The Democrats also would like to ban the sale and possession of conversion kits that increase the firing rate of semi-automatic rifle along with eliminating third-party dispossession as an option for offenders who are legally required to surrender their firearms.
About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member. Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
Hopefully you are correct Kelly, that a YES for for any of these ‘circus’ time legislative actions will result in the voters rejecting their representative and senator who vote in favor of curtailing our second amendment and privacy. And, while I agree this is the second amendment voter’s only choice in this matter, your summary of the ‘why’ Bill Lee is calling this special session circus in the first place my belie your age….you may not remember the term PILLOW TALK…when bubba Bill was president and madaam Hillary was the genius behind the curtain, we all knew who was running that show while Bill was out philandering, Hillary. She was at least able to talk to Bill when he laid down on his pillow after a night out carousing. I’m sure Pillow Talk has a lot to do with why Bill Lee would call a special session on guns, going back on his campaign theme/promise of not making more laws when the laws on our books are not enforced!
Too bad satan worshipping evil Jon Duda and the gutless, corrupt, backstabbing 16 cucks on the Williamson county commission made sure our elections are fake and rigged.
Otherwise, there might be consequences for treason.
The legislation is driven by outside interest with funding from Michael Bloomberg and George Sorros. It is much closer to the Biden administration than conservative values.
I will guarantee a yes vote on any of the above mentioned legislation will result in a fierce primary and election in 2024. Some candidates will be ousted by another more conservative or a Democrat. At this point I don’t care because we are voting for one party. Republicans should have stood up to Lee and put him in his place back in May.
Indeed Charles, and conservative Republican voters should never have allowed non-political, non-ideological Lee buy himself the governorship in the first place. Hopefully those that did have over the past six years learned a lesson so when another wealthy individual with little or no conservative record attempts to buy himself the governorship in 2026 they will do better.
And next summer’s Republican primary is where conservative’s attention should be focused. While we don’t know which of the Open Primary Eight or other centrist/tepid conservatives will be seriously challenged we do know that their challengers will need money and the money ain’t comin’ from the funders of the Republican establishment so it has to come from us. SAVE YOUR MONEY CONSERVATIVES FOR THE BATTLES AHEAD!
This special session is infuriating . Governor Lee is a traitor and a proven liar . Too bad we can’t throw his ass out of office by recall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!