AFL-CIO makes endorsements in state, federal races
The state chapter of the AFL-CIO has announced the names of the candidates the labor group is backing this year’s primary elections. Most are either incumbents or unopposed for the Democratic nomination in their respective races.
Here’s the release from the AFL-CIO:
NASHVILLE, MAY 23, 2022- Following a joint meeting of its Executive Board and Committee on Political Education (COPE) held last week, the Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council is announcing its list of endorsed candidates ahead of the August 4th State and Federal Primary Election.
“After a robust discussion, our membership believes that the following list of candidates will best represent our interests in the Tennessee General Assembly and the halls of Congress,” said TN AFL-CIO President Billy Dycus. “Over the past two years, we’ve seen what happens when corporate special interest groups, big business, and greedy politicians continue to have unchecked power and total control of the political process. Working families are tired of being represented by legislators who couldn’t care less about their needs or well-being. It’s time to start chipping away at the supermajority and elect candidates who will stand up and speak out for all of their constituents, not just the wealthy few.”
The Council will hold another meeting in mid-August to discuss additional endorsements for the November 8th General Election, including its positions on the four proposed constitutional amendments.
U.S. House of Representatives, District 2: Mark Harmon
U.S. House of Representatives, District 5: Heidi Campbell
U.S. House of Representatives, District 7: Odessa Kelly
U.S. House of Representatives, District 9: Steve Cohen
State Senate, District 3: Kate Craig
State Senate, District 21: Jeff Yarbro
State Senate, District 29: Raumesh Akbari
State House of Representatives, District 15: Sam McKenzie
State House of Representatives, District 28: Yusuf Hakeem
State House of Representatives, District 41: John Mark Windle
State House of Representatives, District 48: Matt Ferry
State House of Representatives, District 50: Bo Mitchell
State House of Representatives, District 51: Bill Beck
State House of Representatives, District 53: Jason Powell
State House of Representatives, District 54: Vincent Dixie
State House of Representatives, District 55: John Ray Clemmons
State House of Representatives, District 56: Bob Freeman
State House of Representatives, District 58: Harold Love, Jr.
State House of Representatives, District 59: Caleb Hemmer
State House of Representatives, District 60: Darren Jernigan
State House of Representatives, District 67: Ronnie Glynn
State House of Representatives, District 80: Johnny Shaw
State House of Representatives, District 84: Joe Towns, Jr.
State House of Representatives, District 85: Jesse Chism
State House of Representatives, District 86: Barbara Cooper
State House of Representatives, District 87: Karen Camper
State House of Representatives, District 88: Larry Miller
State House of Representatives, District 90: Gloria Johnson
State House of Representatives, District 91: Torrey Harris
State House of Representatives, District 93: G.A. Hardaway
State House of Representatives, District 96: Dwayne Thompson
State House of Representatives. District 98: Antonio Parkinson
Ted Cruz endorses Sethi, Blackburn backs Hagerty
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Manny Sethi speaks at a campaign event in Clarksville on Feb. 4, 2020. (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the runner-up to Donald Trump in the Tennessee’s 2016 presidential primary, is endorsing Manny Sethi in the Republican U.S. Senate primary. Trump, of course, has endorsed rival candidate Bill Hagerty.
Cruz’s endorsement of Sethi follows a nod by another 2016 presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.
“Primaries are a time for choosing,” Cruz said in a statement. “Too many times the Washington swamp tries to trick voters into choosing their preferred candidate.”
Trump carried 39% of the vote in Tennessee’s Republican presidential primary in 2016, while Cruz won 25%. The third-place finisher was U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who received 21%.
UPDATE: U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Brentwood) formally endorsed Hagerty on Wednesday afternoon.
“I fully support Bill Hagerty for the United States Senate, because I need a true Tennessee conservative to stand with me to protect our Tennessee values,” Blackburn said in a statement.
Paul campaigned with Sethi in Murfreesboro over the weekend, while U.S. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is coming to Middle Tennessee on behalf of Hagerty this week.
“Bill is a strong conservative leader and a trusted friend to President Trump. We need Bill in the U.S. Senate,” Cotton said in a Hagerty release.
(The Cruz announcement on Sethi follows.)
Here’s who the TSEA isn’t endorsing in the primaries
The House meets at the state Capitol in Nashville on June 1, 2020. (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)
The Tennessee State Employees Association has announced its endorsements in legislative primaries around the state. The TSEA gave the nod to the 11 incumbents running for re-election in the Senate and 58 sitting members in the House.
The group endorsed former Rep. Page Walley in the Republican primary for the open Senate 26 seat against former Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton. It also gave the nod to former Rep. Scotty Campbell over National Guard Lt. Col. Neal Kerney in the GOP primary to succeed Rep. Timothy Hill (R-Blountville).
The list of members who did not receive a TSEA endorsement includes some prominent members like House Majority Leader William Lamberth, House Minority Leader Karen Camper, House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, and Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ken Yager.
The TSEA said further endorsements will follow after the primary.
The early voting period for the Aug. 6 contests begins on Friday.
Here’s the full list of incumbents who didn’t get the TSEA endorsement (for the ones who did, click here):
SENATE:
- District 8: Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains)
- District 10: Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga)
- District 12: Ken Yager (R-Kingston)
HOUSE:
- District 1: John Crawford (R-Kingsport)
- District 5: David Hawk (R-Greeneville)
- District 9: Gary Hicks (R-Rogersville)
- District 10: Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown)
- District 11: Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby)
- District 12: Dale Carr (R-Sevierville)
- District 21: Lowell Russell (R-Vonore)
- District 26: Robin Smith (R-Hixson)
- District 28: Yusuf Hakeem (D-Chattanooga)
- District 29: Mike Carter (R-Ooltewah)
- District 33: John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge)
- District 39: Iris Rudder (R-Winchester)
- District 41: John Mark Windle (D-Livingston)
- District 44: William Lamberth (R-Portland)
- District 46: Clark Boyd (R-Lebanon)
- District 47: Rush Bricken (R-Tullahoma)
- District 50: Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville)
- District 51: Bill Beck (D-Nashville)
- District 53: Jason Powell (D-Nashville)
- District 55: John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville)
- District 58: Harold Love (D-Nashville)
- District 59: Jason Potts (D-Nashville)
- District 62: Pat Marsh (R-Shelbyville)
- District 68: Curtis Johnson (R-Clarksville)
- District 81: Debra Moody (R-Covington)
- District 87: Karen Camper (D-Memphis)
- District 89: Justin Lafferty (R-Knoxville)
- District 92: Rick Tillis (R-Lewisburg)
- District 94: Ron Gant (R-Rossville)
