Democrat running in Senate District 15 (held by GOP’s Paul Bailey)

Democrat Angela Hedgecoach, a former corrections officer who now owns a towing company and lives in the Putnam County community of Bloomington Springs, has announced as a candidate for the state Senate District 15 seat now held  by Republican Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta, reports the Nashville Post.

“We need a state Senator who will fight every single day to bring good jobs to our area,” Hedgecough said in a press release. “As a small business owner, I understand what it takes to create jobs and I understand how to build the conditions that encourage job creation. While much of Tennessee is prospering, rural areas like ours are in danger of being left behind. I won’t let that happen.”

Bailey is finishing up his first term on the Hill. He’s recently made news by protesting the members of the Tennessee Titans who have been protesting police brutality during the national anthem. Bailey has said he will not go to another game this season and will donate the face value of his season tickets to law enforcement organizations.

Note: Prior to Bailey, the seat was held by Democratic Sen. Charlotte Burks. In 2014, Bailey had a fairly narrow win in the Republican primary – less than 600 votes – but defeated Democrat Betty Vaudt by a 3-to-1 margin in the November general election.