TNGOP: ‘Embarrassed Erin’ Coleman Isn’t Ready to Lead in Tennessee

TNGOP Press release, NASHVILLE, Tenn.- October 6, 2016 — Democrat Erin Coleman was interviewed by the editorial board of the Nashville Tennessean newspaper this morning and the thirty minute discussion provided a window into the thinking of one of the Tennessee Democratic Party’s top recruits.

Asked right out of the gate why she’s running in Senate District 20 against State Senator Steve Dickerson, Coleman states (1:01) how “embarrassed (she was) to be living in Tennessee.”

From that ignominious beginning, Coleman launched into a haphazard list of policy prescriptions that veered from big government spending proposals to positions that sounded as if Coleman was reading off the Smart Solutions agenda that Sen. Dickerson is advancing (which is a remarkable turnaround from 24 hours ago when the TNGOP criticized Coleman for standing for “pretty much the opposite” of everything Dickerson stands for).

Among the liberal and sclerotic positions Coleman staked out:

• Advocated for deficit spending (8:45) for Tennessee’s roadways (currently, Tennessee has zero road debt thanks to the fiscally responsible leadership of Lamar Alexander when he was Governor);
• Lamented that potholes (9:30) are ubiquitous on Tennessee’s highways (our state’s infrastructure system was recently ranked among the best in the nation);
• Talked about an alleged funding shortfall (13:54) in education (Tennessee’s teachers just received a $100 million increase for salaries—with no tax increase);
• Was critical of multiple pieces of legislation (3:21 and 4:13)—but failed to disclose that Dickerson was against them;
• Bizarrely tried to claim she has been both very active and knowledgeable about her district yet, at the same time, was so unfamiliar with the local representation she tried to vote for a State Senator whose district she didn’t even live in (24:29).

Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Ryan Haynes reacted to the video of the interview by remarking, “Erin Coleman stands for the exact opposite of what mainstream Tennesseans believe in. You can’t be a public servant of a state you’re embarrassed to live in. You can’t advocate for deficit spending in a state known for fiscal responsibility. You can’t be a leader when you’re taking your cues from a liberal agenda that’s been rejected multiple times by our voters. This interview not only makes it clear ‘Embarrassed Erin’ isn’t ready to lead in our state, she’s not even aware of the values of our state.”

Online: http://tngop.org/embarrassed-erin-trainwreck-interview/

Top Stories