Woodson decides against U.S. Senate bid
As recently as last week, former state Sen. Jamie Woodson (R-Knoxville) was still mulling a bid for the U.S. Senate. No longer, The Tennessean’s Natalie Allison reports.
“I have been humbled and deeply honored by the recent and generous encouragement I have received to seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate,” Woodson said.
Woodson, who ran the education think tank SCORE after leaving office, said she and her husband, Bill, had “prayed about this season for our family and our country and how we might best serve,” before deciding against a bid.
Woodson first began contemplating a bid to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Maryville) before President Donald Trump declared his support for Ambassador Bill Hagerty in a tweet. Hagerty made his first public appearance on Friday since winding down his diplomatic responsibilities in East Asia, but has yet to formally enter the race.
Nashville surgeon Manny Sethi announced his candidacy in June.
Woodson stepping aside as head of education group founded by Frist
Former state Sen. Jamie Woodson (R-Knoxville), who Gov. Bill Haslam recently appointed to the board of the University of Tennessee, is stepping down as head of the head of SCORE, the education group founded former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Nashville). Woodson will remain with the group as a senior adviser, and David Mansouri will be promoted to president and CEO.
Here’s the full email from Bill Frist:
I am writing today to share exciting news about SCORE and steps our Board of Directors have taken to continue the momentum of our organization and the historic educational gains Tennessee students are making.
Without a doubt, the progress Tennessee has made in student achievement has been unprecedented. The state has become a national leader in education improvement. I am so proud that under the strong leadership of Jamie Woodson, SCORE has played such a major role as an advocate for student-focused, research-backed policies that have helped Tennessee educators produce these historic gains for our students.
