Rep. Pody to run for state Senate seat while Beavers runs for governor

State Rep. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, announced today that he will run for the state Senate District 17 seat now held by Sen. Mae Beavers, who has declared she is running for governor rather seeking reelection, reports the Tennessee Star.

“Senator Mae Beavers is going to be running for governor, and she’s going to make an awesome conservative governor. That leaves her seat open, and I want to make sure that seat is filled by a good conservative individual. I want to run for that seat,” Pody added.

..“First, we have to have somebody watching our money. And I promise you this is taxpayer money, it is not government money. I’m going to be watching how we spend that money. We want to make sure that we only spend it on the limited things that government is supposed to do,” he continued.

“Government is not something for every single idea. Just because it’s a good idea doesn’t make it a government idea,” Pody added, sounding a note that resonates with the limited government themes of the Tea Party movement.

“The second thing that we need to do is, we want to make sure we are still creating an environment to attract high paying good quality jobs. I think it’s important that we don’t just do this as corporate welfare. The environment we have to create is going to be where businesses want to expand and relocate to Tennessee because we’ve got a good fair tax structure, where our regulations are common sense, and we have a highly trained and skilled work force. That work force has to be well educated,” the Mt. Juliet State Representative said.

“Those are going to be the priorities that I’m going to be working on as a State Senator. We’re going to be watching our money, making sure it’s spent well. We’re going to be attracting the good companies that need to come in here with high paying jobs with a qualified highly educated work force and a terrific tax environment for businesses,” Pody concluded.

Pody added that those interested in learning more about his campaign can go to markpody.com.

UPDATE/Note: State Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mount Juliet, who once challenged Beavers for the Senate seat, tells the Nashville Post that she won’t be running against Pody:

“I have consistently said that I am not going to run for state Senate again,” Lynn told the Post on Monday. “I am not running for Senate, I am not running for the Sixth District House seat. I’m not going to do either, no matter what … I’m just focused on the duties I have serving my constituents.“