Tennessee Voters In Multiple Districts Have No Opportunity To Vote For A GOP Challenger In Upcoming Election

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

Conservative Tennesseans will have no opportunity to vote for a challenger in several Republican primaries across the state this year. In multiple districts, incumbent GOP lawmakers have no one running against them in the primary in August and in some cases are also running unopposed in the main election in November.

In the Senate, Senators Bill Powers (R-Clarksville-District 22), Shane Reeves (R-Murfreesboro-District 14), Paul Rose (R-Covington-District 32) and Page Walley (R-Savannah-District 26) are all registered as unchallenged in the primary. Powers and Reeves face a Democratic opponent in the November election for their districts. 

Of these senators, Reeves has held office longest, since 2018, and Walley has served the least amount of time, since 2020. Powers and Rose both took office in 2019.

In 2021, Reeves stated that a special session on mask mandates in schools, Biden’s Executive Orders, and Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order Privileges was not needed.

Senator Shane Reeves Says Special Session On Medical Freedom Is Not Needed

This legislative session, Reeves, along with Powers and Walley, “took a walk” in order to avoid voting on a bill that would have outlawed Pride flags in Tennessee schools.

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Reeves’ office later issued a statement that said that Reeves supported the intent of the bill but feared it risked a constitutional challenge.

Two and half years ago, all four of these Senators signed a letter along with twelve more of their colleagues endorsing and pushing an “emergency use authorized” Covid-19 vaccine that did not provide the benefit that federal and state officials claimed it did at the time.

Were These 16 GOP State Senators Wrong On The Covid-19 Vaccine?

In the House, Representatives Charlie Baum (R-Murfreesboro-District 37), Michele Carringer (R-Knoxville-District 16), Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown-District 10), Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby-District 11), Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville-District 17), Esther Helton-Haynes (R-East Ridge-District 30), Gary Hicks (R-Rogersville-District 9), Timothy Hill (R-Blountville-District 3), Dan Howell (R-Cleveland-District 22), Lowell Russell (R-Vonore-District 21), Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville-District 25), William Slater (R-Gallatin-District 35), and Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville-District 14) all have no challenger in the primary.

All except Eldridge, Farmer and Hicks will have a Democratic opponent in the November election.

Of these Representatives, Speaker Sexton and Faison have held office longest since 2010. Hill has only served for one year, having been sworn in at the end of last May to replace Scotty Campbell who resigned following sexual harassment allegations.

Farmer has been in office since 2012, Howell since 2014, Zachary since 2015, and Hicks since 2016. Baum, Eldridge, Helton-Haynes, and Russell all assumed office in 2018. Carringer was elected in 2020, and Slater in 2022.

Eldridge was one of six members on the House Public Service Subcommittee who chose not to second a motion on a bill that would have helped to prevent executive branch overreach in the state.

Bill To Combat Executive Branch Overreach In Tennessee Dies In House Subcommittee

Last year, Helton-Haynes voted to continue allowing Democrats to vote in Republican primaries.

Local GOP Groups Disagree With RINO Vote Allowing Democrats To Vote In GOP Primaries

Hicks placed a bill to ensure compliance with the Age Appropriate Materials Act behind the budget this year, as well as a child rapist death penalty bill.

Tennessee Bill To Ensure Compliance With Age Appropriate Materials Act Placed Behind Budget By Subcommittee Chairman Gary Hicks

Howell voted against a bill that would have increased fines for transporting illegal aliens into the state stopping its progression in the House.

RINOs Allow Commercial Airline To Transport Illegal Aliens To Tennessee

Slater co-sponsored a bill that creates year-round boarding schools for “at-risk” youth in Tennessee. Opponents of the bill, now law, were concerned that courts may usurp parental authority, mandating students to attend such a school.

Zachary sponsored a bill to expand current state law regarding mental health professionals reporting the possibility of potentially violent acts by their patients. Critics deemed the bill, that has now been signed into law, a “Red Flag Gun Bill.”

Gov. Bill Lee Signs “Red Flag Gun Bill” Into Law Expanding Mandatory Reporting

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