By JONATHAN MATTISE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Democratic and Republican ballots aren’t quick on candidates in Tuesday’s Tennessee main particular election to exchange a GOP congressman who stepped apart this summer time, together with one who landed President Donald Trump’s endorsement final week.
The race to exchange former U.S. Rep. Mark Inexperienced facilities on one among three districts that GOP lawmakers drew as safely pink in 2022 by dividing left-leaning Nashville. The Dec. 2 normal election may gauge the recognition of Trump’s aggressive second-term agenda, particularly with suburban Republican voters.
The seventh Congressional District spans 14 counties, bordering each Kentucky and Alabama. Its voters elected Inexperienced by 21 proportion factors in 2024 and by almost 22 factors in 2022. Together with components of Nashville, it contains rural areas, rich suburbs and a part of the Fort Campbell army set up.
GOP weighs late Trump endorsement
With 11 Republicans on the poll, Matt Van Epps turned heads when Trump backed him on Friday, the day after in-person early voting had ended. The endorsement prompted one other high-profile candidate, state Rep. Lee Reeves, to announce he was suspending his marketing campaign and backing Van Epps, a former normal companies commissioner within the administration of GOP Gov. Invoice Lee. The governor and Inexperienced had already endorsed Van Epps. Trump lauded Van Epps for his army service.
It was too late to take away Reeves’ title from the poll.
The sector contains two different Republican state representatives, Gino Bulso and Jody Barrett. Bulso is a Brentwood lawyer who has been an outspoken advocate for socially conservative insurance policies, together with those who goal LGBTQ+ individuals’s rights. Bulso has poured virtually $700,000 of his personal wealth into the race.
Outdoors teams have spent greater than $3.1 million, virtually all on the GOP facet, with upwards of $1.1 million opposing Barrett.
College alternative pursuits who’ve denounced Barrett’s vote in opposition to Gov. Lee’s statewide college voucher enlargement are behind most of the assault adverts in opposition to Barrett. Barrett, an lawyer from Dickson, has stated he pushed again in opposition to the “elites” in his personal celebration and has praised a college alternative tax credit score initiative touted by Trump. He has the Home Freedom Fund’s backing.
These three have drawn probably the most consideration, however they aren’t the one well-funded GOP candidates. Mason Foley, a well being care businessman and former staffer for Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, loaned his marketing campaign $325,000. And Stewart Parks, who was pardoned by Trump after coming into the Capitol throughout the Jan. 6, 2021, revolt, contributed roughly $300,000 to his marketing campaign by contributions and loans.
Additionally vying for the GOP nomination are Montgomery County Commissioner Jason Knight; Adolph Agbéko Dagan, a Clarksville businessman; former state legislative staffer Tres Wittum; and Joe Leurs, a retired Nashville Police undercover detective. Stuart Cooper, a Franklin businessman, additionally suspended his marketing campaign and endorsed Van Epps after Trump’s endorsement.
Democrats assault Trump insurance policies
The 4 Democratic candidates within the race, in the meantime, have attacked the laws Trump dubbed the “Huge, Lovely Invoice,” along with his tariffs.
Rep. Aftyn Behn is a social employee and neighborhood organizer who has centered on ladies’s reproductive well being rights, together with as a plaintiff in a lawsuit in opposition to a Tennessee legislation banning adults from serving to minors get an abortion with out parental permission. A choose has halted the supply’s enforcement.
Rep. Vincent Dixie, a businessman within the bail bond trade, has touted his report of getting served as the primary Black chief of a legislative caucus in state historical past. He stated in a marketing campaign video from a rubbish truck that “Washington has been piling up rubbish for working households.”
Rep. Bo Mitchell, who works in worker advantages, has centered on entry to well being care and his roots in Dickson County, a rural a part of the district.
Darden Copeland based the general public affairs agency named Calvert Road Group and has labored as a marketing consultant on Democratic campaigns. He has seized on being within the personal sector amid a subject of elected officers.
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