Rep. Eddie Mannis is latest to retire from House
Freshman Rep. Eddie Mannis is the latest Tennessee lawmaker to announce he won’t run again. The Knoxville businessman is the 10th Republican to decide against seeking re-election to the House this fall (see the full list here.)
Here’s the full announcement from Mannis:
“Yesterday, I informed my fellow Representatives of my intention to not seek reelection as Representative of District 18 in the State of Tennessee General Assembly.
As my guiding principle has always, and will always be, people before politics and partisanship, I wanted to publicly share the reasons behind my decision.
The recent passing of my dad has truly forced me to do a lot of soul searching. I have heard his final words, “Follow your heart,” over and over in my head. After weeks and weeks of prayer and conversations with my family and friends, I decided not to seek reelection when the 112th adjourns. It has been a very difficult decision, but I must truly follow my heart.
Serving in the Tennessee General Assembly has been one of the most challenging, yet fulfilling things I’ve ever done. Making decisions that impact people’s lives and livelihoods is a huge responsibility. I will always be grateful to the people of the State of Tennessee, Knox County, and District 18 for allowing me this opportunity.
It has also been an indescribable honor and privilege to serve with my fellow Representatives. While we haven’t always agreed on issues and I will no longer be serving alongside them, I will continue to support them in their efforts of working towards what is right and just, and what hopefully will make us all better Tennesseans.
I look forward to returning to my business ventures, working alongside my team who have made many sacrifices over the past several years. They have afforded me the opportunity to take on two very
hard-fought campaigns and serve the people of Tennessee for the past two years. I am also excited to restart HonorAir-Knoxville and get back to serving East Tennessee Veterans after a two-and-a-half-year break during the pandemic. Continuing to serve my community will remain one of the most important aspects of my life.
Although this is a bittersweet time for me, I leave hoping that it’s obvious that I’ve tried to make the best decisions possible based on my conscience and my desire to try and do what’s right. I am grateful. Thank you
Tennessee Equality Project rescinds Dickerson endorsement over Senate speaker’s ad
The Tennessee Equality Project has rescinded its endorsement of Republican state Sen. Steve Dickerson of Nashville over an ad being run on his behalf by the Senate Speaker Randy McNally’s political action committee.
The ad targets Dickerson’s Democratic challenger, Heidi Campbell, for saying supportive things about Gideon’s Army, which the spot describes as an extremist group calling for “revolutionary changes to our way of life.” Democrats have pushed back against the ad presenting Gideon’s Army as supporting rioting. They point to the group’s efforts to mentor young people and de-escalate violence in predominantly black North Nashville. The organization was also heavily involved in cleanup efforts after a tornado wrought heavy damage in the neighborhood in March. The Tennessee Equality Project denounced the spot as a “disgusting, racist ad.”
“Although he has an exemplary record on LGBTQ rights in the Legislature, elected officials are called to speak out against racism in politics,” TEP executive director Chris Sanders said in a blog post.
Here’s the ad:
The decision to withdraw the Dickerson endorsement means the group is now backing just one Republican candidate for the General Assembly: Knoxville businessman Eddie Mannis, who is running to succeed retiring state Rep. Martin Daniel (R-Knoxville).
Tennessee Equality Project endorses two Republicans (and 19 Democrats)
The Tennessee Equality Project has endorsed Republican state Sen. Steve Dickerson over Democratic challenger Heidi Campbell. And in the open House District 18 race, the LGBTQ advocacy group has given the nod to Republican businessman Eddie Mannis over Democrat Virginia Couch.
Nineteen other TEP endorsements went to Democrats nominees, plus one independent, and one write-in candidate.
“I’m honored to have the endorsement of the Tennessee Equality Project – they are at the forefront of protecting the rights for the LGBTQ community in Tennessee,” Dickerson said in a release. “I have always fought for equal rights for all Tennesseans, and I will continue to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community.”
Here’s the release from the TEP:
Tennessee Equality Project lobbies the Tennessee General Assembly and local governments around the state on behalf of the LGBTQ community. We are pleased to endorse a strong group of candidates for state and local government this year, including a number of LGBTQ candidates who can significantly change the conversation about our issues in Tennessee. The Slate of Hate, which is a set of vicious anti-LGBTQ bills, looms as a threat when the Legislature reconvenes in January. On the other hand, we have important opportunities to advance equality in many of our cities. The candidates we have endorsed can play a vital role in fighting discrimination and making life better for LGBTQ Tennesseans.
TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ENDORSEMENTS
TN Senate District 6-Knox County
Jane George
TN Senate District 10-Bradley and Hamilton Counties
Glenn Scruggs
TN Senate District 14-Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore, and Rutherford Counties
Chase Clemmons
TN Senate District 20-Davidson County
Sen. Steven Dickerson
Our endorsement goes to Sen. Steven Dickerson, who has spoken passionately on the floor of the Senate against discriminatory bills and voted against them every time. In addition, as Chair of the Senate’s State & Local Government Committee, he has been a strategic partner in helping us navigate the legislative process to the significant benefit of our community.
We also wish to offer our thanks to candidate Heidi Campbell for her strong statement of support for the LGBTQ community during our survey process and for her outreach to our community.
TN Senate District 22-Houston, Montgomery, and Stewart Counties
Ronnie Glynn
TN House District 4-Unicoi and Carter Counties
Bobby Harrell
TN House District 6-Washington County
Brad Batt
TN House District 13-Knox County
Rep. Gloria Johnson
TN House District 18-Knox County
Eddie Mannis-LGBTQ candidate
TN House District 25-Cumberland, Putnam, and Van Buren Counties
Robyn Deck
TN House District 37-Rutherford County
Mariah Phillips
TN House District 38-Clay, Fentress, Macon, Pickett, and Scott Counties
Carol Abney
TN House District 40-DeKalb, Smith, Sumner, and Trousdale Counties
Paddy Sizemore
TN House District 48-Rutherford County
Matt Ferry
TN House District 49-Rutherford County
Brandon Thomas-LGBTQ candidate
TN House District 56-Davidson County
Bob Freeman
TN House District 63-Williamson County
Elizabeth Madeira
Our endorsement goes to Elizabeth Madeira for her strong outreach to the LGBTQ community. We also wish to commend candidate Brad Fiscus for his clear expressions of support for our community.
TN House District 82-Crockett, Haywood, and Lauderdale Counties
Andrea Bond Johnson
TN House District 83-Shelby County
Jerri Green
TN House District 89-Knox County
Keri Keeling (Write-in candidate)
TN House District 90-Shelby County
Torrey Harris-LGBTQ candidate
TN House District 96-Shelby County
Dwayne Thompson
TN House District 97-Shelby County
Gabby Salinas
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.
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.
Tennessee GOP to decide whether to overturn result of Knoxville House primary
The Tennessee Republican’s Party’s state executive committee is scheduled to hold a conference call Wednesday evening to decide a challenge of businessman Eddie Mannis’ 99-vote win over real estate agent Gina Oster in the GOP primary for an open state House seat in Knoxville.
Oster, who had the backing of conservative activists, claims Democratic crossover voting made he difference for Mannis. Of course, there’s no way to say from whom voters cast their secret ballots and a counter-argument is that they might have been voting for Oster to give Democratic nominee Virginia Couch an easier path toward victory in November.
Local party activists had sought to keep Mannis off the ballot entirely because of moderate positions and his vote in the Democratic presidential primary in March. But Party Chairman Scott Golden turned back that challenge after Mannis was vouched for by Republican luminaries such as Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, and state Sen. Richard Briggs.
Former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe has been keeping a close eye on proceedings, and reports in his column that Knox County executive committee members Jane Chedester and Michele Carringer (herself the GOP nominee to succeed retiring Knoxville Rep. Bill Dunn) have indicated they support retaining Mannis’ nomination. So has incumbent Rep. Martin Daniel, who isn’t seeking re-election.
Here’s Ashe’s take:
Defeated GOP legislative candidate Gina Oster keeps trying to snatch a win from Eddie Mannis…. It is hard to believe that a committee in Nashville would discard the valid election result. Oster previously lost a school board contest to Doug Harris. If Oster is handed a nomination she did not win fair and square at the ballot box, the Democratic nominee, Virginia Couch, would become the odds-on favorite to win in November.
As The Tennessee Journal reported recently, the district is no longer a lock for Republicans. Daniel won just 51.5% of the vote in 2018, slightly underperforming the 53% received by Bill Lee in the governor’s race and by Burchett in his bid for Congress. And fellow Republican Marsha Blackburn got just 46% of the district’s vote in the U.S. Senate race against former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen two years ago. While 57% voted for Trump in 2016, the president’s numbers are expected to be far weaker this year.
Given the increasingly swing characteristics of District 18, the GOP attacks on Mannis are all the more perplexing. As a well-respected businessman and founder of a nonprofit organization flying veterans to visit war memorials in Washington, Mannis’ more moderate leanings appear to make him a stronger candidate in the general election. But he clearly wasn’t the choice of hardliners who contributed to Oster during the primary. They included House Majority Leader William Lamberth, and Reps. Daniel, Clay Doggett, Rick Eldridge, Johnny Garrett, Bruce Griffey, and Chris Todd.
