Comptroller Wilson, Having Held Office Since 2009, Will Not Vie For Reelection. Instead, He Endorses The Election To The Position Of The Current Deputy Comptroller, Jason Mumpower.
The Center Square [By Vivian Jones]-
Tennessee State Comptroller Justin Wilson will not seek reelection, having held the role since 2009.
Wilson announced his decision Wednesday morning in a letter to members of the Tennessee Legislature, which will choose the next state comptroller when it reconvenes next month.
“Tennessee is well positioned for the future,” Wilson wrote. “As I have contemplated my own future, I have determined that now is the time for me to step aside.”
Wilson wrote he has encouraged Deputy Comptroller Jason Mumpower to seek the office and Mumpower has his “full and wholehearted endorsement.”
“Jason is the right person to lead our committed effort to provide independent audits, objective research, and most of all, conservative fiscal management,” Wilson wrote.
Mumpower became deputy comptroller in 2010. He previously represented Sullivan and Johnson counties in the state House, serving as majority and minority leader. He lost a bid for House speaker in 2009.
Wilson commended the General Assembly for its commitment to financial strength.
“Our state continues to provide essential services to Tennesseans while remaining committed to low taxes, low debt, and strong financial management,” he wrote. “Tennessee’s fiscal stability has proven critically important as we have dealt with the economic challenges and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.”
Wilson previously led the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and served as deputy to the governor under former Gov. Don Sundquist. He also was a member of the financial advisory board of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
