GOP guber candidate forum draws Boyd, Black, Green and Lee; not Harwell, Norris and Beavers

The two active Republican candidates for governor, Randy Boyd and Bill Lee, were on hand for a Rutherford County GOP forum Thursday night along with two prospective candidates, U.S. Rep. Diane Black and state Sen. Mark Green, reports The Tennessean.  Three other potential candidates – House Speaker Beth Harwell, Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris and state Sen. Mae Beavers – did not attend.

Excerpts from Joel Ebert’s story:

Green, who recently withdrew as President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Army secretary, did not announce resumption of his suspended campaign for governor but “he certainly stoked speculation.”

“Part warrior … part businessman, part senator and leader, I’m honored with the gifts that God’s given me and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve in whatever capacity that is,” he said during his opening remarks.

… Some differences between the candidates was evident on a question about federal overreach. Although all the candidates says the federal government have overreached in various ways in recent years, Boyd, the Former Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner, said he is concerned that sometimes state lawmakers do things to inappropriately exert authority on local governments.

“I worry that sometimes the same things that we complain about Washington, D.C., we do when we go to Nashville and we do back to our local communities,” he said. Boyd said one of his rules would be if local governments can make a decision, they should always be diverted to first. “That will be a guiding principal in my administration.”

Note: Norris and Beavers both said they had conflicting commitments. Harwell cited a family medical situation, reportedly a sister who has been hospitalized in serious condition.