Image Credit: Jay Galbreath, Williamson County School Board District 6 / Facebook & Canva
***Note from The Tennessee Conservative – this press release is posted here for informational purposes only.
Press Release –
(Franklin, Tenn.) – The following statement is attributable to the Chairman of the Williamson County Republican Party, Steve Hickey.
Republican voters in Williamson County have consistently shown they expect their party leaders and elected officials to support candidates who will advance conservative principles in our schools and community. It is therefore deeply disappointing that former District 6 School Board member Jay Galbreath – who ran for school board as a Republican and accepted support from the GOP – has once again been disloyal to his party by endorsing an independent candidate over the Republican nominee.
In the District 8 race, Mr. Galbreath is backing Cory Martin against Republican incumbent Donna Clements. Public records show Mr. Martin has a demonstrable Democrat voting record and a campaign finance history that includes donations to Kamala Harris, Gloria Johnson, and ActBlue. This is not an isolated decision. In 2024, Mr. Galbreath endorsed independent Melissa Wyatt — who also has a Democrat voting record and more than $1,000 in documented Democrat contributions — over Republican candidate Angela Beaton in District 7. The Williamson County Republican Party board publicly rebuked Galbreath for his actions in 2024. Now, he’s doing it again.
These actions represent a clear pattern of elevating candidates who do not align with Republican principles and call into question whether Mr. Galbreath is a Republican at all. To be clear, through Mr. Galbreath’s actions, he is tacitly opposed to Republican education policies designed to restore parental control over education and eliminate Marxist indoctrination in our schools. While we welcome robust debate within our party, crossing party lines to oppose Republican nominees in the general election is not principled independence — it is counterproductive to the ideals upon which our party rests. Personal vendettas or other grievances Mr. Galbreath may harbor have no place when the stakes are the education of our children and the future of our community.
Republicans demand elected officials who not only harbor conservative views, but act upon these with conviction. I call on all Republicans — including former board members — to set aside differences and rally behind our nominees. In District 8, that means supporting Donna Clements. Across Williamson County, it means supporting the Republican candidates who emerged from our primary and who will fight with conviction for the values that make our schools and county exceptional.
The Williamson County Republican Party remains steadfast in its commitment to electing principled conservatives who put students, families, and our shared values first. We will continue that work without those who falsely wear our jersey, but play for another team.
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