Democrat Olsen announces run against Republican Rep. Roe

Dr. Martin Olsen, an East Tennessee State University Obstetrics and Gynecology professor, formally announced Saturday his run as a Democrat for the 1st Congressional District seat now held by Republican Rep. Phi Roe, reports the Johnson City Press.

To win, Olsen says he needs one-third of those in the district who voted for Trump to vote for him. And though Tennessee is a consistently red state, Olsen believes that people have seen that what is happening now isn’t working and hopes that those who voted Republican will try something new.

Olsen said he believes the Republican party has lost its way and that there are a lot of voters and Republicans who agree.

“(The Republican party) used to stand for the government (staying) out of your life and fiscal responsibility. So fiscal responsibility is gone when you have a tax cut that adds 1.5 trillion to the debt that young people are going to have to face when my generation moves on. And I would say that the Democratic party is getting back to its roots and standing up for everyday Americans. So anybody that believes that standing up for everyday Americans is the way the government should make its decisons is welcome in the ‘Olsen for Congress’ tent.”

…“I have Democratic supporters, independent supporters (and) Republican supporters, and I hope folks wil keep an open mind and decide what’s best for them and their families and not just do what people tell them to do, not just do what they they’ve always done, in the next election,” Olsen said.