Republican executive committee rejects challenge of Mannis’ primary win

The Tennessee Republican Party’s executive committee has voted 43-18 against a motion to remove Eddie Mannis as the Republican nominee in state House District 18.

Mannis won the primary by 99 votes over real estate agent Gina Oster, who challenged the outcome based on allegations of crossover voting by Democrats.

I appreciate the confidence shown by the Tennessee Republican Party by reconfirming our victory. My business and nonprofit background has uniquely prepared me to serve as the 18th District’s voice in Nashville, and I look forward to running a winning campaign about the (1/2)

— Eddie Mannis for House District 18 (@EddieMannis) September 3, 2020

Mannis will face Democrat Virginia Couch in November.

Here’s a statement from Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Mary Mancini about the GOP proceedings:

Republicans are scrambling to find a candidate who can beat Virginia Couch and all they had to choose from is a political flip-flopper and a far right extremist, both are wrong for the district and neither of them are the candidate House District 18 needs, wants, or deserves.