YOUR REPUBLICAN MEMBERSHIP HAS BEEN SUSPENDED! Oh No!! What will I do? Ask me if I care.

 by Rod Williams, August 12, 2023 - Look what I got in my email today.

There is so much wrong with this. 

First of all, this is factually not accurate. Membership in the party is not determined at the national level. Since we do not have national Republican membership, it cannot be suspended.  Being a Republican or a Democrat is primarily a matter of self-identification. In many states when you register to vote, you must register as a Democrat or a Republican or as an independent. Some states have other choices besides Republican, Democrat, or independent. In states where you must register by party or as an independent, one my truthfully say, "I am a registered Republican," but not in Tennessee. Some states issue membership cards and one may say, "I'm a card-carrying Republican;" not in Tennessee.

While Republican county parties and the state party have rules to determine who may serve the party in an official capacity and who may run for office as a Republican, neither the county nor the state party can tell me I am not a Republican. They cannot stop me from voting Republican, saying I am a Republican, or thinking I am a Republican. 

In Tennessee we have "open primaries," which means if I want to vote in the Republican primary one time and vote in the Democrat primary the next time, I can do so. There are fifteen states with open primaries. Some like Tennessee are open primaries without party registration and some are open primaries with party registration. In a state with registration and open primaries, even if I was a registered Republican, I could still vote in a Democrat primary. 

Secondly, this solicitation is deceptive and preys on people's ignorance. Some people who do identify as a Republicans really will believe their membership has been suspended and will "renew" their membership.  This is a pretty slimy way to get contributions. 

Also, this appeal is not from the RNC but from the National Republican Congressional Committee. This is the organization working to elect Republican House members. Even if membership in the Party was national, it would be the NRC that would control that membership, not a subsidiary devoted to electing Republican House members. 

I have sent NRCC money in the past. I sent money to lots of Republican and conservative organizations. Not a lot of money as I am not a rich man, but I send some. I have supported the RNC, the NRCC which is the source of this appeal, the organization raising money to elect Republican Senators, the Republican Governors Assocation, the State party, and the local party. In addition, I support a bunch of causes and individual candidates.  

I was born a Republican and have never wavered. Not that I have not been less enthused or more enthused at times, but I always thought that contemporary liberalism and the Democrat Party would take our country down the wrong path. I always thought the Republican Party was right on the issues that matter most. 

The modern conservative movement, the Republican Party being the primary vehicle for the movement, is said to be a coalition represented by a three-legged stool of economic conservatives, social conservatives and defense hawks.  Or, it may be expressed as a three-legged stool of libertarians, traditionalist, and anti-communist.  In any event, I am, for the most part, comfortable in all three of the overlapping camps. 

Born at the outset of the cold war and living my life under the specter of Communist world domination, I have been an advocate of a strong national defense and America's leadership role in the world. I have never been an isolationist. We were right to lead the world in defeating imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, and we were right to oppose Communism around the world. When Ronald Regan said our goal was not to coexist with Communism but to defeat it, I thought that was a great moment of clarity and purpose. I cheered at "tear down this wall!"

The threat to national sovereignties, democracy, and the threat of tyrants with a desire to build empires did not end with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today, Ukraine is in a fight for its survival. On the recent vote on the national defense appropriations bill, the vast majority of Congress from both parties voted to support Ukraine and oppose Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's aggression.  However, 30% of House Republicans voted against aid to Ukraine. All Democrats supported Ukraine and all of the votes for cutting aid to Ukraine came from Republicans. It is hard for me to see how anyone would vote to help Putin achieve his objective of destroying Ukraine. For that reason, I am not going to send money to the NRCC. While support for America's interest in the world and American leadership in making the world safe for Democracy is not the only issue that concerns me, it is an important issue. Why should I support the NRCC when my money may be used to elect more isolationist to the U. S. Congress? The NRCC can keep their membership card.

In Tennessee, Congressman Andy Ogles and two other of our eight Republican Representatives voted to surrender to Russian aggression. I cannot automatically assume that electing Republicans represents my values. For that reason, I have suspended my support for the Tennessee Republican Party. I have not contributed to the Party this year. If Ogles and the other two Republicans are primaried, I will contribute to their challengers. 

In addition to the issue stated above, I am becoming more and more dissatisfied with the Republican Party in general. The Republican Party has too many conspiracy theorist and nut-jobs for me to feel comfortable. We have too many Majorie Taylor Greens in the party for me to feel at home. 

Unless something changes drastically, it appears Donald Trump will be the party's nominee. It will be a cold day in hell before I will ever vote for Donald Trump. One of my bedrock principles is support for the peaceful transfer of power. If the Party no longer subscribes to this principal, then I can no longer consider myself a Republican.

Thankfully, we do not have to register by party to vote in America or in Tennessee. If we did, I think I would follow conservative luminaries like George Will and David Brooks and change my registration to independent. If we had party membership, the party would not have to suspend my membership, I would surrender it. 

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The Nashville Chamber of Commerce Partnership 2030 Mayoral Runoff Forum

by Rod Williams, August 11, 2023- I have not watched this yet myself. To read The Pamphleteer's commentary on the forum, follow this link. Stay tuned. After I watch it, I will update this post. 

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It appears Gov. Lee's proposed Red-flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) ) is Dead on Arrival. No meaningful gun reform will come out of the special session.

by Rod Williams, August 11, 2023- Unless a miracle happens, we can forget about the passage of a Red Flag law in Tennessee. Govenor Lee's version of a red flag law is a less severe restriction of the right of people experiencing mental health issues than some red-flag laws in other states.  Lee has gone out of his way to say that what he is proposing is, in fact, not a red-flag law but an Extreme Risk Protection Order. 

Following the Covenant School shooting, Lee proposed the new law along with other provisions.  The legislature adjourned without taking up his proposals. They did pass a law providing funding for a School Resource Officer in every school in Tennessee. That proposal was filed prior to the deadly shooting at The Covenant School. 

The governor has called a special session for August 21st to consider a package of bills mostly focused on providing additional mental health services in Tennessee. Lee's Extreme Risk Protection Order proposal was early-on the main focus of the governor's initiative. That proposal is included in the proclamation calling the legislature back into session, however in the official press release announcing the special session, Lee did not mention it.

It appears that the governor has given up.  It is hard to blame him for facing reality. He tried. There is almost no support for the proposal in the State legislature. Here is a list of how legislators stand on the issue as compiled by The Tennessean and as posted to the Tennessee Firearms Association website. The Tennessean reached out to 138 lawmakers but only those listed below replied to The Tennessean's query. This list does include the leadership of the legislature.

Support Lee’s ERPO proposal, as proposed in April (7)

• Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge
• Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis 
• House Minority Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis 
• Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis 
• Rep. Mark White, R-Germantown
• Rep. Anthony Davis, D-Nashville 
• Rep. Dwayne Thompson, D-Cordova 

Oppose Lee’s ERPO proposal, as proposed in April (28)

• House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville 
• House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland 
• House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville
• Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville
• Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston 
• Rep. Ed Butler, R-Rickman
• Rep. Bryan Richey, R-Maryville
• Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill
• Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown 
• Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson
• Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski
• Rep. Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport
• Rep. Chris Hurt, R-Halls
• Rep. Kevin Raper, R-Cleveland
• Rep. Rusty Grills, R-Newbern 
• Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County 
• Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka
• Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood
• Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin 
• Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin 
• Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin 
• Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ken Yager, R-Kingston
• Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Manchester 
• Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta 
• Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald
• Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun
• Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Murfreesboro
• Sen. John Stevens, R-Huntington 

Will wait to see final bill text and/or hear testimony – too early to say (10)

• House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby
• Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport
• Rep. Mike Sparks, R-Smyrna
• Rep. Charlie Baum, R-Murfreesboro
• Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge  
• Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville 
• Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville
• Sen. Art Swann, R-Maryville 
• Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville 
• Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol

The list above was compiled in April and opinion could have changed since then but, if anything, legislators are probably more set in their position. Last Saturday, the Tennessee Republican State Executive Committee members adopted a resolution that encourages Gov. Bill Lee to drop his planned Aug. 21 special legislative session. the Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA), which has donated to more than 20 Republicans in the legislature, has been pushing a ‘red flag down’ campaign and has been rousing their members to lobby against the bill. In addition, several county Republican Parties have passed resolutions opposing the special session or opposing the ERPO. 

Democrats are conducting a statewide bus tour to discuss gun violence which will conclude with a rally at the state capitol on the first day of the August special session. Don't expect this to move the needle. I expect the August 21st rally to be raucous loud affair featuring the Tennessee Three. Democrats know how to rile the base but not persuade or win converts. Dems will want more than just modest gun reform and cannot appeal to the people needed to win support for Govenor Lee's proposal. 

Governor Lee's proposals did not even include a proposal to require gun owners to securely store a firearm when left in a vehicle and now it appears the ERPO is dead.  No meaningful gun reform will come out of the special session. 

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Tennessee stiffened the penalty for stealing a gun. Amid a theft crisis, is the law working?

by Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, Aug. 10, 2023- 

Key Points 

• Attorneys say a law passed in 2021 stiffening the penalty for gun theft is actually making cases
  harder to prosecute.
• Nashville last year saw a record 1,378 stolen guns from cars.
• Lawmakers are hoping to pass a bill that would address the problem, but Gov. Bill Lee is blocking any plan that would penalize people for leaving guns in cars.

.... In a push to deter criminals, the state in 2021 passed a law strengthening the penalty for stealing a gun from a misdemeanor to a Class E felony with a mandatory minimum sentence of six months in jail. ... it’s a tough crime to prove. A stolen gun can change hands multiple times before it’s recovered, and witnesses and the gun owners can be hard to track down or reluctant to testify.

Under the new penalty, defense attorneys have little bargaining room with the six month mandatory jail time and are less likely to settle a case. As a result, most felony gun theft charges are dropped.

The Tennessean reviewed more than a 100 Davidson County court cases from 2022 through May 2023, after the law went into effect, and found that the vast majority of gun theft charges were eventually dropped or dismissed, mostly due to lack of proof and witnesses.

In most cases, defendants will end up being convicted on other criminal charges since most of them are committing other crimes along with the gun theft. 

But the dropped charges show how a law that was meant to bring change in reality does little once it hits the court system, said David Raybin, a longtime local criminal defense lawyer.

“The dynamic has changed because now the sanction is so severe on a mandatory minimum case that’s already very hard to prove,” he said. “It’s the same philosophy that if we make the penalties harder it’s going to end the crime, and that’s absurd.” ...

Lee is proposing doing away with taxes on firearm safes and safety devices, providing free gun locks, expanding safe storage training in state-approved safety courses and launching a safe-storage public service campaign.

But the perimeters Lee set for the special session on Wednesday specifically prevent lawmakers from passing any penalties for those who fail to safely store their firearms.

... Nashville looks to be on track for another record year, with more than 700 guns stolen from cars so far this year, marking 80% of all stolen firearms.

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Gov. Lee Issues Official Call, Presents Legislative Priorities Ahead of Public Safety Special Session

by Rod Williams, Aug. 9, 2023- Yesterday, Govenor Bill Lee issued an official proclamation calling the legislature into a special session to address gun violence and public safety. This a response to the Covenant School mass shooting. While the press release, which I have posted below, does not specify that the legislature is to consider Lee's proposal for what is commonly called a "red-flag law," and which Lee is calling an enhanced "order of protection," the proclamation does list that as one of the things the legislature to "consider and act upon.''  This is the portion of the proclamation addressing this:

(12) Temporary mental health orders of protection, which must be initiated by law 
enforcement, must require a due process hearing, must require the respondent to undergo an assessment for suicidal or homicidal ideation, must require law enforcement to prove its case by clear and convincing evidence, must require that an order of protection be reevaluated at least every one-hundred eighty (180) days, and must not permit ex parte orders;  

Not being a lawyer myself, I had to look up "ex parte." An ex parte order is issued by the court without giving the respondent notice or an opportunity to tell his or her side of the story. So, the proclamation would prohibit passing a law with the use of an ex parte order. 

The proposed enhanced order of protection has been one of the most controversial parts of Gov. Lee's proposals. This has been one of the proposals that gun rights groups have made a major issue and are using to fund-raise and convince people their second amendment are at risk. 

I would hope the legislature would consider and pass such a law allowing the temporary confiscation of weapons from people deemed dangerous provided there is speedy hearing to justify the confiscation and quickly return the weapons if the taking was not justified, and if there is punishment for people who maliciously use the law to harass someone. I can see angry people going through a contentious divorce using this law for harassment of a spouse the same way they now almost routinely use an order of protections. 

I am disappointed to see the proclamation takes off the table a law to require people to properly store their weapons when left in their cars. We are on course to have 1300 guns stolen from cars this year here in Nashville.  Every year over a thousand guns get into the hands of criminals in Nashville because gun owners leave unsecured guns in their cars. Innocent people are being killed because law-abiding gun owner are irresponsible. I think any gun stored in a car should have to be stored in a car gun safe.

I hear the argument of those who say they should be able to leave their gun in their car where someone could steal it and should not be responsible for their own reckless behavior.  They say we should punish the thief, not the victim of theft. I understand that in the abstract that makes sense, but I am not persuaded by that argument. We have a problem. If gun owners will not be responsible, we must make them be responsible. 

I am concerned with stigmatizing people with mental health issues. If taking anti-anxiety meds is deemed justification for law enforcement taking someone's weapon, then some people who need medication will not seek it.  I see the downside, however if it prevents the next Covenant school shooting it is worth it. 

I question the storing of DNA of people who are only arrested but not convicted of a crime. We do that now with fingerprinting and I see the civil liberties implications of doing both but think that on balance we need these tools to fight crime. 

Most serious issues have two sides, and one must soberly consider the options. I have reached the conclusion that despite the arguments on the other side, we must address the issue of gun violence. We need to try to prevent the next mass shooting.  

Nothing in this proclamation would suggest that what is under consideration is an infringement on one's Second Amendment rights. Some gun rights advocates see any regulation of guns such as laws prohibiting certain weapons, or requirements for background checks or restrictions on where one may carry a gun as a second amendment infringement. Laws banning sawed off shotguns and banning one from carrying guns into a court room do not infringe on your Second Amendment rights. These laws no more infringe on Second Amendment rights than do laws preventing crying "fire" in a crowded theater infringe on First Amendment rights. 

Many Republican law makers did not even want to have a special session to address gun violence. I am disappointed in them. I am disappointed in the county Republican Parties across the state that have passed resolution opposing the special session. I hope the legislature will act responsibly and consider the modest proposals called for by the proclamation. 

Press release from the Governor's Office:

NASHVILLE, Tenn., August 08, 2023   – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued the special session proclamation and presented the administration’s legislative and budget priorities that will go before the Tennessee General Assembly during the special session on public safety, convening August 21.

“As our nation faces evolving public safety threats, Tennessee remains vigilant and is taking continued action to protect communities while preserving the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “In the months leading up to the public safety special session, we have listened to Tennesseans and worked with members of the General Assembly to identify thoughtful, practical measures to strengthen public safety across our state, including steps to support law enforcement, address mental health, prevent violent crime and stop human trafficking. I thank the General Assembly for its continued partnership and look forward to achieving meaningful results for Tennesseans.”

Gov. Lee will present legislative and budget priorities during the public safety special session to keep Tennessee communities safe, support law enforcement and address mental health, all while preserving constitutional rights. In addition to bringing the following solutions in the administration package, the Governor will continue to work with members of the General Assembly on other legislation specified in the call.

1.     Codification of EO 100 and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Report Implementation: Requires reporting of accurate, complete and timely records from court clerks to the TBI within 72-hours and requires electronic submissions of dispositions and expungements to the TBI.

2.     TennCare Mental Health Coverage Waiver: Directs TennCare to seek a waiver from the federal government to allow federal matching funds for Medicaid to cover services for mental illness and substance use disorders at institutions of mental diseases.

3.     Addressing Mental Health Workforce Challenges: Budget initiatives that prioritize opportunities to grow and retain mental health professionals in the state.

4.     Reforms for Mental Health: Expands access to mental health treatment by eliminating certain collaborative practice requirements for Advanced Registered Practice Nurses with psychiatric training.

5.    Strengthening the Identification of Individuals Arrested for Felonies: Provides for the collection of DNA at the time of an arrest for all felonies.

6.     Human Trafficking Report: Resolution directing TBI to report on the state of human trafficking in Tennessee.

7.     Promoting Safe Storage: Eliminates taxes on firearm safes and safety devices, provides free gun locks, expands safe storage training in state-approved safety courses, and creates a public service announcement to promote safe storage

To date, more than 20,000 Tennesseans have submitted public comments on strengthening public safety, and the form will remain open through the entirety of the special session to ensure that Tennesseans can continue engaging in the conversation.

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Davis Hunt of The Pamphleteer talks with Nolan Gray about his book 'Arbitrary Lines'.

by Rod Williams, August 9, 2023- I have this book and am reading it. Anyone serving in the Metro Council, on the Planning Commission, newly elected to the Council, on the Affordable Housing Task Force, or interested in the issue of affordable housing should read this book. Highly recommended. Order from Amazon at this link. 

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Log Cabin Republicans of Tennessee host a private screening of "Sound of Freedom!"

 

Join us for a private screening of the movie everyone is talking about, Sound of Freedom!

Schedule for the evening is as follows:

6:15pm - Tickets available for pickup
6:30pm - Doors Open
6:40pm - Welcome from LCR and Young Republicans
6:45pm - Aaron Spradlin from Mission America Foundation
6:50pm - Mary Trapnell from Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition
7pm - Movie Begins

Please RSVP to purchase your ticket, today!  Space is limited!

WHEN: August 10, 2023 at 6:30pm - 9pm
WHERE: Regal Cinemas - Green Hills, 3815 Green Hills Village Dr, Nashville, TN 37215

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Nashville Young Republicans August meeting, tomorrow, Aug 9th.

 

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Who won and who lost in the District Council races and what it means.

by Rod Williams, August 7, 2023- The August 3rd election is behind us and with only three Council districts to be decided in the runoffs we can pretty much know what the orientation of the new council will be. Eighteen districts will have new members but a look at their interviews and webpages, the source of their contributions and the endorsements they received, we can pretty much know their political leanings. There was a progressive wave to this election but not a tsunami. This council will be further to the left, but just slightly. Unfortunately, a slight increase in the number of leftists on the Council can on occasion make a big difference. 

While I wish we had shifted in a more conservative direction rather than a more liberal direction it is worth remembering a couple things. First, overwhelmingly the votes of the Council cannot be classified a "liberal" or "conservative."  Potholes are not liberal or conservative. Most of what the Council does is routine, boring everyday legislating without an ideological component. A lot of what the Council does is zoning. While zoning can rouse passions there is not a liberal or conservative position on zoning.

Another thing to be mindful of is that about the only thing the radicals or the progressive majority can do on the Council is to engage in meaningless virtue signaling. They do this primarily by passing resolutions expressing the will of the Council. From time to time the Council weighs in on national or state issues like favoring abortion rights or opposing immigration enforcement or some other favorite liberal position. While I wish the more conservative and reasonable Council members would stand up and not allow these resolutions to pass unanimously, these resolutions have no impact. Congress nor the State care what the Metro Council thinks about these issues. It is simply a way for the Council to vent and virtue signal and has zero impact and is a waste of time rather than of any significance.

Another thing to remember is that we have a weak council-strong mayor system. The charter makes for a weak council and a forty-member body makes it weaker. The real power lies with the mayor. The make up of the Council matters but most policy and city priorities and fiscal management issues are decided in the mayor's office. 

Also, the Council cannot do a lot of things they may want to do because the state will not allow it. The State will not allow Nashville to become a sanctuary city, it will not allow Nashville to coerce builders to build affordable housing and limits the power of a police oversight board.  The city is chartered by the state and has limits on its authority. Beyond that, citizens have rights as U. S. citizens and Metro cannot do things like take property without due process and compensation, which the city has attempted with its sidewalk program. 

So, most of what the Council does is not controversial or even that interesting and there are limits to what the council can do.  A handful of radicals cannot do much. When a council member attempted to slash police funding by 42% she only got her vote and three others. We are still a long way from when a majority of the council would support such an insane radical proposal. We are not yet Portland, Oregon.  However, sometimes the vote of only one council member can have a big impact. When the Council cut $2.6 million from the budget for police, that funding was restored due to the leadership on a single Council member and the move to restore the funding only passed by one vote. With a more left-leaning council we may not have that one-vote margin on critical issues like adequately funding of the police. 

What is the make up of the new Council? Who are the radicals and who are the moderates? There is rarely more than a handful of conservatives on the Council but they can have an impact. Who will be the conservative voices in the new Council? Below I have looked at each district to try to gauge the ideological make up of the new council. This analysis may be subject to revision as I continue to gain more knowledge and will post an update if more information becomes available that would influence my opinion. Here is who won, who lost, and what it means. 

District 1: Joy Kimbrough won this race with 59.44% of the vote, beating four other candidates. I had not endorsed anyone in this race. There simply wasn't a viable good candidate. Kimbrough's campaign was the best funded of the candidate and she had the best credentials. She is a liberal lawyer. She had listed her top three priorities for the district as “district economic parity between neighborhoods,” “Transparency and Communication between the district and councilperson” and “Smart growth.” She was endorsed by Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Votes. I assume she will be one of the more left-wing leaning members but probably not Ginny-Welsch-crazy. (link)

District 2: KYONZTÈ TOOMBS is the incumbent and ran unopposed for reelection. She will be another dependable extreme liberal voice in the Council. 

District 3: JENNIFER GAMBLE is the incumbent and ran unopposed for reelection. Another solid progressive. 

Vote for
Davette Blalock
in the runoff. 

District 4: Davette Blalock is in a runoff. I was hopeful she would win outright but it didn't happen. There were three candidates in the race. Brian Sullivan, the candidate with the most progressive endorsements failed to make the runoff. Davette Blalock won 42.18% of the vote; Cortese got 40.56% and Sullivan trailed with 16.62%. Davette will face Mike Cortese in the September 14th runoff.

I am enthusiastically supporting Davette Blalock. She has previously served in the Council, is a solid conservative, has common sense, and works hard. This is crucial seat. While conservatives are terribly outnumbered, we need a strong voice for common sense and conservative values in the Council. Term-limited Councilman Robert Swope, one of the most conservative members of the Council who currently represents this district, is supporting her as his replacement. She is viewed 'favorable" by the Davidson County Republican Party. She has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. more. 

If you live in her district, please vote for her. We need this conservative voice in the Council. 

District 5: Sean Parker won reelection beating challenger TERRI LAINE KLINGNER. This race was not even close, Parker got 76.69% of the vote compared to Terri Klingner's 22.87%. Sean Parker probably ties Ginny Welsch as the most radical member of the Council. He is a founding member of the Democratic Socialists of America – Middle Tennessee chapter. 

District 6: Clay Capp won this race receiving 56.17% of the vote and candidate Daniel McDonell received 40.65%. Clapp has served as served as the Legal Director for the Tennessee Justice Center. He will be a champion of progressive causes. 

District 7: The incumbent Emily Benedict won 87.82% of the vote beating challenger DANNY WILLIAM who won 11.86%. Benedict is one of the more progressive members of the body. 

District 8: Deonte Harrell won with 51.58% of the vote beating Martez Coleman who got 47.88%. This was close. I was supporting MARTEZ COLEMAN.  Harrell had the endorsement of The Equity Alliance and Nashville Justice League. With those endorsements, one can assume he will be one of the radicals in the Council.

Congratulations
TONYA HANCOCK

District 9: Congratulations TONYA HANCOCK! She is the incumbent and just barely squeaked out a win beating her opponent by only 34 votes!  Tonya Hancock got 50.89% of the vote and Stephanie Montenegro got 49.05%. Montenegro would have been among the block of radical Council members. She had the support of The Equity Alliance and Nashville Justice League. Tonya is a moderate common-sense member of the body. We can be thankful for this outcome. 

This is how the Nashville Banner reported on this race:

In District 9, Incumbent Tonya Hancock beat Stephanie Montenegro by a single point in what became one of the most-watched races in the city. Montenegro’s late entry into the race was a surprise, and District 9 quickly became the battleground for disagreement between two factions on the Metro Council. One section, made up of a group of five progressive members, endorsed Montenegro, a rare move against a sitting councilmember. CM Sandra Sepulvada even donated so much to Montenegro that money had to be returned for being over the limit. In response, 11 councilmembers endorsed Hancock. As the incumbent, Hancock had an advantage in fundraising and name ID, out-fundraising Montenegro by more than $10,000 in the second quarter. But after a late start, Montenegro caught up by the last disclosure, out-fundraising Hancock by $4,977, but it wasn’t enough. When Montenegro jumped in the race a full financial quarter later than Hancock, Hancock already had a big warchest on hand and outspent Montenegro by $28,176. 

Congratulations
JENNIFER WEBB

District 10: JENNIFER FRENSLEY WEBB won beating incumbent Zach Young.  I am pleased with this outcome.  She ran against an incumbent who needed to be defeated and did it.  It is hard to unseat an incumbent. Webb won 55.21% of the vote to Young's 44.24%. I think we can assume Webb will be a conservative on the Council.

District 11: Jeff Eslick came in first in this district with 38.17% of the vote, Eric Patton got 36.30%, Sherard Edington got 21.52% and Joe Delucas 3.71%. I was supporting Sherard Edington simply because term-limited incumbent Councilman Larry Hagar who I always considered a "good councilmen," endorsed her and she had the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police and the Firefighters Union. 

Now, we will have a runoff between Eslick and Patton. Patton emphasized his support from Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood, Central Labor Council, ChangeTN, SEIU Local 205, Metro Nashville Education Association PAC for Education and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Votes. With endorsements like that for Patton, I am supporting Jeff Eslick. 

District 12: ERIN EVANS is the incumbent who ran for reelection unopposed. She has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police.

District 13: RUSS BRADFORD is the incumbent and ran unopposed. He is one of the members of the block of radical council members. We will have him for four more years unfortunately. 

District 14: Jordan Huffman was elected with 84.17% of the vote beating R.J. Mamula who got 15.08%. I don't know what to expect from Huffman. He received $5,000 from A Better Nashville, a political action committee with ties to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram of Ingram Industries and Nashville SC. He had the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police and Firefighters Union but also Central Labor Council, SEIU, LINUA, and the Metro teacher's union. I am assuming Huffman will be a mainstream liberal member of the body.

Council District 15: Jeff Gregg easily won this race with 74.12% of the vote to Dan Jones's 24.85%. Dan Jones was the conservative choice in this race. Jeff Gregg does not espouse any radical positions on his website, and he does not have the endorsements of the radical organizations. He has good credentials and community involvement. I am assuming he will be a mainstream liberal council member based on this limited information. 

District 16: Ginny Welsch was reelected garnering 52.3% or the vote, to Alexa Little's 47.38%. I am very disappointed in this outcome. Welsch is the most radical member of the Council. She was the leader of the effort to defund the police by slashing funding for the police by 42%. She is not only a radical, but also rude and crude and lacks class. She has a penchant for dropping the "F-bomb" and calling people fascist. 

District 17: Terry Vo won this race with 53.56% of the vote, with Teaka Jackson in second place with 29.35%, followed by Tonya Esquibel with 16.67%. This is a disappointment. I was supporting Esquibel. Vo had the support of the term-limited incumbent Colby Sledge. Terry Vo can be expected to be a part of the block of radical council members. Her website does not espouse a particularly radical agenda and really doesn't tell you much, however she received the endorsement of The Nashville Justice League and The Equity Alliance. 

District 18: Tom Cash won reelection with 69.84% of the vote to Angus Purdy's 29.71%. There was no one worth supporting in this race. Tom Cash is a progressive member of the Council and was one of the council members who signed a letter urging General Sessions judges to cease assisting ICE with the identification and apprehension of illegal aliens. He was one of the 15 Metro Council members who signed on to a resolution calling for Cooper to oust police chief Anderson because Anderson had issued an arrest warrant for riot leaders.  Angus Purdy said he would be a progressive voice for the district. 

District 19: Jacob Kupin won this race with 63.40% of the vote, with Jasper Hendricks III getting 19.74% and Jonathan Turner 16.18%. Kupin received several union endorsements including The Central Labor Council, SEIU and the teachers' union. District 19 is the downtown district including lower Broad.  Jacob Kupin raised $120,967, which is the most money raised by any candidate in any of the council races.  According to the Nashville Banner, $18,000 came from 10 different LLCs owned by Icon Entertainment owner Bill Miller. He received $5,000 from A Better Nashville, a political action committee with ties to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram of Ingram Industries and Nashville SC. I would expect him to be in the liberal mainstream of the Council.

District 20: Rollin Horton won this race with 73.91% of the vote compared to Scott Gillihan's 25.36%. He will likely be a mainstream council member based on his website information and endorsements.

District 21: Brandon Taylor won reelection with 67.01% of the vote and his challenger Jamel Campbell-Gooch won 32.63%. I supported Taylor because his opponent was so much worse. Taylor is a progressive, but his opponent was considerably more radical.  Brandon did receive the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police which is a plus in my view.  JAMEL R. CAMPBELL-GOOCH and his website is all about Black power. He is active with Southern Movement Committee which advocates abolishing police and jails. He advocated a Metro funded guaranteed basic income for Nashvillians. We avoided another extreme radical getting on the Council with this outcome.

District 22: SHERI WEINER was elected running unopposed. She formerly served in the Council. She is a Republican. I am pleased to see her return. 

District 23: THOM DRUFFEL was reelected with 76.94% of the vote and his challenger Lisa Williams got 22.80%. Thom Druffel has been a voice for responsibility and common sense on the Council and I am pleased with this outcome.

District 24: BRENDA GADD won this seat running unopposed. She will most likely be a mainstream big government liberal but not a radical. 

District 25: Jeff Preptit won this seat with 56.62%. David Ackerman got 35.97% and Rolando Toyos 6.90%. David Ackerman was the conservative in this race, and I was supporting him. Preptit's has good credentials and his website, while not saying a lot, conveys a moderate tone. He will probably be in the liberal mainstream of the council. 

COURTNEY JOHNSTON
Reelected

District 26: COURTNEY JOHNSTON won reelection running unopposed. In my view she is one of the best council members serving. She is smart, does her homework, and is a person of integrity. With fewer conservatives in the Council, I hope Cortney will become more forceful in standing up to the radicals in the Council and become the leading voice for common sense and fiscal responsibility. 

District 27:  ROBERT NASH won reelection running unopposed. He has been a good council member and I am pleased he will be serving a second term. He is a retired MNPD Police Commander and will be an advocate for public safety. 

District 28: David Benton won this seat with 60.02% of the vote and his opponent Travis London got 39.44%. Craig Huey, a prominent conservative religious commentator has endorsed Benton and Benton has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. Based on that limited information, I am assuming that Benton will align with the more conservative members of the body. 

District 29: There will be a runoff in this district between Tasha Ellis who got 44.40% of the vote and John Reed who got 23.59%. Other candidates in this race who did not make the cut were Michele Vetter with 18.62% and Jama Mohamed with13.06%. I had supported Michele Vetter. JOHN REED's website features a picture of him taking part in the disruptive "Tennessee Three" demonstration in the State House Chamber. Not that the Council can do much about the issue but Reed says one of his issues is to "Advocate for Reproductive Justice." Another part of his platform is "Defend LGBTQIA+ Rights." Ellis seems more mainstream however she received the endorsements of SEIU, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Votes and The Equity Alliance Fund. That is a reason to vote against her.

In this race, I am not making an endorsement at this time. Unless more information develops that indicates one of the candidates is considerably worse than the other and I lived in this district, I would write in my own name. There is no good candidate in this race.

District 30: SANDRA SEPULVEDA won reelection running unopposed. She is a radical. 

District 31: Unfortunately, John Rutherford won reelection with 52.05% of the vote, challenger and candidate whom I supported Dia Hart won 37.14% and "Write-In' got an astounding 10.81%. Rutherford is always a dependable vote for the most liberal position. 

District 32: JOY STYLES won reelection running unopposed. She is a typical progressive in the Council. Maybe worse than typical; she attempted to pass an ordinance in August of 2021 that would mandate, not recommend or request but mandate, the wearing of mask in public. We will be stuck with her for four more years. 

District 33: ANTOINETTE W. LEE won reelection running unopposed. She is another mainstream liberal but not a radical.

District 34: Sandy Ewing won this seat with 67.44% of the vote to Luke Elliott's 32.06%. Her website does not get specific about issues. She has an impressive resume. I expect her to be a moderate on the Council. She will probably favor more spending for mass transit but support funding the police. For more about her see this and this. 

District 35: JASON SPAIN was elected with 81.07% of the vote while his opponent Carson Smart got 18.11%. Spain appears to be qualified and a reasonable person. He received $7,500 from A Better Nashville and he had the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. 

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I love polls. The Beacon Center releases its first quarterly poll. See what Tennesseans believe about education, who they support for president and more.

by Rod Williams, August 5, 2023- I love polls, but then I am a political junky and maybe I am not normal.  I like to know what people think. I trust polls.  Now, when I say that I trust polls I must qualify that. I don't trust all polls.  

There are push-pull polls designed to get a certain result. They are not really polls and are instead telemarketing techniques designed to get a certain result. These polls ask leading questions that push the person being polled to give a certain answer. Some political campaigns use this technique. The pollster may ask the polled person if they are aware that candidate X took such and such position on an issue. Then they may ask if knowing candidate X took that position are they more are less likely to vote for that candidate. Then they ask, in the upcoming election, for whom are you voting. 

This technique also often involves selective facts and relies on people not knowing how policy is made. A Congressman may vote for an amendment to a defense appropriation bill to ban transexual surgery for enlisted people. Assume the amendment to ban transsexual surgery fails.  Then when the Defense appropriation comes to a vote assume the Congressman votes for the bill.  His opponent may claim Congressman X voted to fund transexual surgery. In truth, the only way he could vote not to fund it was to not fund any of our national defense needs. This technique is used by people of all political persuasions to attack their opponents. 

There are also polls that are designed to get a specific answer based who is selected to participate in the poll.  Climate change skepticism has been spread by polls of "scientist" who question if man-made climate change is real. These polls of scientist have been around for many years, but less so in recent years.  When a poll says it polled "scientist," one needs to question who are these scientists? Are they relevant scientist or are they TV weathermen known as "climatologist" and are they chiropractors, or maybe they are legitimate scientist but in a totally unrelated field.  

When one's on side is losing in a campaign, supporters will often say, "well, no one ever polled me." That does not make a poll illegitimate. Polls use scientific sampling and if done right they are pretty accurate. It seems to be a go-to pollical position, that when the polls do not give you the answer you desire, to question the validity of the poll. 

Sometimes polls do miss the mark. In the run up to the 2020 election, quite a few polls showed Joe Biden with a significant lead, both nationally and in important swing states. While Biden did win, it was closer than polls showed it would be.  One explanation for this is that Trump supporters are more protective of their privacy than Democrats and less trusting of pollsters. Professional pollsters learn from this and adjust and makes allowances for this next time.  

Some critics of polls will argue that polls underrepresent certain people because certain people are less likely to answer calls from people they don't know, or certain voters are older and don't respond to text messages. Sometime people may argue that college graduates tend to respond to polls more than noncollege graduates so the polls are over representative of college graduates. If that is found to be true pollsters make adjustments for that. Good polling techniques take these issues into account.  

Sometime polling is not very informative and is open to interpretation. Take the question, are we headed in the wrong direction or the right direction on issue X?  Say the issue is crime; some could think we need more police to combat crime, and others could think we need more poverty programs and violence interveners. Both think we are headed in the wrong direction but have vastly different solutions for heading in the right direction.  That poll question is simply not that informative.

Sometimes polling is not very informative, sometimes it is designed to manipulate, or to deceive, or to influence and sometimes it is designed to tell people what they want to hear. Good polling, however, simply discovers what people think and shares that information.  Polling is not perfect, but if done right, it is pretty good.

The Beacon Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, independent organization dedicated to providing expert empirical research and timely free market solutions to public policy issues in Tennessee. I have followed them and have been a supporter for many years. They do policy and do not do politics. They are good at what they do. To do good policy, one needs good data. To that end, Beacon has started deep public opinion polling on a wide range of issues. I trust them to not manipulate but to do it right and play it straight. 

Becon's polls are actually conducted by the Targoz group, a major public opinion and market research consulting firm located here in Nashville. 

In July Beacon Poll released the first quarterly state survey asking Tennessee voters how they feel about a variety of issues. In the first poll, Beacon found that 77% of Tennesseans agree that more public and private educational choices are needed, while only 9% disagree. When it comes to Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), the vast majority of voters (69%) said they believe that the program should be expanded statewide while only 17% disagree.  The poll shows that ESAs are extremely popular even with Democratic voters (61%-26%). The poll found that Donald Trump has a 21-point lead (55%-34%) over Joe Biden in Tennessee, while Ron DeSantis leads Joe Biden by 16 points (52%-36%). 

For a political junkie like me, I am pleased to have a poll that digs deep into public opinion and a poll I can trust. To see all of the poll questions, just the way they were asked, and the results follow this link. 

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Alice Rolli makes the runoff! Report from the Alice Rolli watch party and thoughts on the election.

by Rod Williams, August 4, 2023- I am so excited to see Alice Rolli make it to the runoff last night. She will face Council member Freddie O'Connell in a runoff in six weeks. O'Connell won yesterday's election with 27.13% of the vote and Alice Rolli came in second with 20.21% of the vote.  Other front runners followed with Matthew Wiltshire getting 16.97% of the vote, State senator Jeff Yarbro with 12.19% and Heidi Campbell 8.23%.

I was at the Alice Rolli watch party and had a great time. It is exhilarating to win, and last night a win was making it into the runoff. Just a few days ago, polls showed Alice Rolli and Matt Witshire neck and neck for second place. As we watched the returns come in precinct by precinct one could see the momentum build and confidence of victory grow.

I saw a lot of old friends and met people I had not known before. I met the reporters with the publication The Pamphleteer and enjoyed our conversation. I talked to David Fox, whom I had not seen since his election for mayor. I met Alice Rolli's mother and sister.  I met retired Tennessee National Guard Brigadier General Kurt Winstead who ran in the Republican Primary for the 5th Congressional District last go around. We had an interesting talk about the rising isolationism in the Republican Party. It was good to see Tony Watson, former candidate for the Metro Council in the same district that I used to represent which is now represented by the leftist firebrand Ginny Welsh. You can guess what we talked about. I talked to Council member Courtney Johnston, in my view one of the brightest, hardest working, and most principled members of the body. I am glad she was reelected to a second term.  I also met Dia Hart, unsuccessful candidate for District 31. I had supported her campaign and had talked to her on the phone but never met her in person. And there were lots of others.

The watch party took place at Coco's new event space. Coco's is long-time authentic Italian restaurant in town and one of my favorite places to eat. We were fed dinner and the cafeteria style dinner was just as good as what you order in the restaurant. The food was great, there was wine and a nice jazz band. I was there from about 7PM till 10:30PM.

In addition to the Alice win, another good outcome of this election was to see Councilman Russ Pulley make it into the runoff for an at-large seat. Russ Pulley is a voice of reason and a champion of public safety who last term beat back an attempt to cut the police budget. 

In the at-large race, Council Member at-large Zulfat Suara won over 10% of the vote, so she wins one of the five at-large seats outright. The next eight candidates will compete for the remaining four seats. Here is how, Suara and the next candidates scored: 

Zulfat Suara 10.66%

Delishia Porterfield  9.06%

Burkley Allen 7.97%

Olivia Hill 6.78%

Howard Jones 6.65%

Quin Evans-Segall 5.95%

Russ Pulley 5.88%

Chris Cheng 5.78%

Jeff Syracuse 5.42%

Despite the excitement of seeing Aice Rolli make the runoff and Russ Pulley make the runoff for at-large, they still have to win the next election. Also, it is generally disappointing to see what happened in the Council races.  I am pleased to see Davette Blalock make the runoff, but I was hoping she would win outright.  

I have not yet done a district-by-district examination of the council races, but I know the Council tiled further to the left. Here is part of what The Pamphleteer had to say:

Last night, ten of the fifteen candidates endorsed by the Nashville Justice League won their council positions outright, with three at-large endorsees advancing to the runoff. NJL is a progressive political organization that counts among its allies Sandra Sepulveda, Ginny Welsch, Delishia Porterfield, and Sean Parker—all of whom retained or won their seats and are fervent O'Connell supporters.

To get a sense of who these people are, here's a quick summary:

• Sandra Sepulveda notes in her endorsement for O'Connell that "...he is focused on building a Nashville for everyone regardless of who you live, race, and legal status." Emphasis ours.
• Ginny Welsch writes under the Twitter name 'no pass for fascism'.
• Delishia Porterfield prefers to refer to women as "people with a uterus". 
• Sean Parker is a self-identified Democratic Socialist.

I'll do a deeper dive into the results of the election for individual council races soon. We need to make sure that those reasonable or conservative candidates who made it into the runoff, win the next round. The most important race, however, is the race for mayor. Despite Nashville having a large council, we have a relatively weak council. The real power lies in the mayor's office. 

We have a real clear choice in the upcoming election.  With such a crowded field, for many people it was difficult to tell the candidates apart in yesterday's election. With a choice of candidates narrowed to a choice between O'Connell and Rolli, there is a stark contrast and a clear choice. On crime, education, fiscal management, and taxes, I hope Nashvillians will choose the voice of sanity rather than to continue our downward spiral. 

While candidates and candidates' close supporters always appear cheery and optimistic, we need to face reality and realize this is an uphill battle for Alice to win this runoff. It will be a challenge to convince people who voted for Heidi Campbell in this election to vote for Alice Rolli in the runoff. While the contrast between the candidates is clear, Nashville is a progressive city. I am not so sure many Nashvillians would not rather be like Portland, Oregon and Chicago rather than Miami. It is disappointing but progressives have the edge. 

On the other hand, there is still a significant number of sane Democrats and Republicans in Davidson County. Trump was not a normal Republican, yet he got 36% of the vote in Davidson County. So, there is a sizeable number of voters who consider themselves conservative. In addition, I believe there are a sizeable number of Democrats who believe we are taxed enough, who believe we need more police instead of fewer, and who believe our schools can be better and the school board should be held accountable for better results. If one adds together Republicans and sane Democrats, I believe they constitute a majority. This election can be won by Alice Rolli, if sane Democrats and Republicans turn out and vote. 

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My endorsements for the Mayoral and Council races.

Alice Rollie
for Mayor

For Mayor: Alice Rolli. more info and more and more. 

For Vice Mayor: No Recommendation. Either choice would be OK. 

Russ Pulley
for CM at-large

For Council Member at-large: Russ Pulley. 

While one may vote for up to five candidates, it is not required. By voting for  fewer than five candidates, one's vote has more weight. To only vote for one candidate, is almost like voting for that candidate five times. My primary reason for supporting Russ Pulley is that he stopped the Council from slashing the police budget by $2.6 million. That money had been cut from Mayor Cooper's budget and was not in the council version of the budget.  He moved to amend the budget and had those funds restored. This effort only passed by one vote. Russ Pulley is champion of public safety. For more on this, follow this link. Also, on other issues, Pulley votes the right way. 

If you are inclined to vote for more than one candidate, I would recommend BURKLEY ALLEN who is an incumbent at-large member. There are two Republican running, both of whom I have met and talked to and both of whom I think would make good members of the Metro Council. They are STEPHEN DOWNS and GILBERT RAMIREZ.

District 1: No recommendation. Incumbent Jonathan Hall is not seeking reelection. Below are some facts about the candidates and some impressions. I would most likely narrow my choice to one between Rob Harris and Timothy Thompson. 

• RUBY BAKER. From what she says on her website, I am not impressed. She says of development, "We don’t have to be in a hurry. We can progress in a more deliberate, sustainable way, that will slow the effects and minimize gentrification, increase affordability, and mitigate the impacts of climate change." One may make a rational argument against increased development, but inhibiting new development does not increase affordability but leads to less affordability. Scarcity drives up prices. Also, it leads to urban sprawl which contributes to more greenhouse gas emissions, not less. I am not impressed. more,
• SEAN DAILEY. From his website, "Sean is not in favor of raising taxes on residents who've already suffered from round after round of property tax hikes." more
• ROB HARRIS A Better Nashville, a political action committee with ties to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram of Ingram Industries and Nashville SC, contributed a combined $5,000 to his campaign. He has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police.  more
• JOY SMITH KIMBROUGH Kimbrough contributed a $15,000 personal loan to her campaign. (link) She is the best funded of the candidates. She received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood which would disqualify in my opinion. 
• TIMOTHY THOMPSON Craig Huey, a prominent conservative religious personality, endorses Thompson (link) more

District 2: No recommendation. KYONZTÈ TOOMBS is the incumbent and is running unopposed for reelection. 

Davette Blalock
For Council District 4

District 3: No recommendation. JENNIFER GAMBLE is the incumbent and is running unopposed for reelection. 

District 4: I am enthusiastically supporting Davette Blalock. She has previously served in the Council, is a solid conservative, has common sense, and works hard. Term limited Councilman Robert Swope supports her as his replacement. She is viewed 'favorable" by the Davidson County Republican Party. She has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Policemore, more. 

District 5: I am supporting TERRI LAINE KLINGNER. Her website says, "With a deep passion for our community and a commitment to fiscal responsibility, social values, and engaging our local communities, I believe I can contribute significantly to the betterment of Nashville, its residents, and my constituents in District 5."  Craig Huey, a prominent national conservative religious personality, endorses her. SEAN PARKER is the

incumbent and a very liberal member of the council. He received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. 

District 6: (update) No recommendation, however, both CLAY CAPP and DANIEL MCDONELL received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood.  While that is not the only factor I would consider in choosing for whom I would vote, and is not automatically disqualifying, receiving that endorsement tends to make me less inclined to vote for someone, so I would look at BRANDES B. HOLCOMB to see if he is a viable and better candidate.   Brandes Holcomb's name will still appear on the ballot, but he is not campaigning and has endorsed Clay Capp. 

District 7: DANNY WILLIAM. He has an impressive record of community involvement. My endorsement, however, is a weak endorsement. His list of issues of concern say nothing about support for fully funding the police or keeping taxes low.  I perceive him to be the best of among the three candidates running for this seat but that's not saying much. 

District 8: MARTEZ COLEMAN. He has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police and his opponent has the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. 

District 9: TONYA HANCOCK. She is the incumbent and deserves another term.

District 10: JENNIFER FRENSLEY WEBB. I am impressed by her resume and agree with her support for improved public safety funding and other issues. She is running against an incumbent who needs to be defeated. 

District 11: SHERARD EDINGTON.  He has the endorsement of term-limited incumbent Councilman Larry Hagar. Hagar is one of the "good councilmen," and I am endorsing Edington primarily on the basis of Hager's endorsement. Edington also has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police and the Firefighters Union. 

District 12: ERIN EVANS. She is the incumbent running unopposed. She has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police

District 13: No recommendation. Write in a name. RUSS BRADFORD is the incumbent running unopposed.  He has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. I am surprised he has the endorsement of the FOP.  Back in 2020, Bradford was one of 15 Metro Council members who signed on to a resolution calling for Cooper to oust police chief Anderson. Anderson's offense was that he issued arrest warrants for two of the riot ringleaders when rioters were threatening lives and destroying property in our city. He also is supported by the radical group called "Our Revolution." 

District 14: No recommendation. Below are links to the websites of the two candidates and relevant facts. 

• JORDAN HUFFMAN. He received $5,000 from A Better Nashville, a political action committee with ties to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram of Ingram Industries and Nashville SC. He has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police and Firefighters Union but also Central Labor Council, SEIU, LINUA, and the Metro teacher's union.  Such strong union support gives me pause. 
• R.J. MAMULA

Elect Alexa Little
for Council District 16

Council District 15: DAN JONES.

District 16: ALEXA LITTLE. This is easy one. Alexa Little is well-qualified and grounded inJohn Carden reality.  Her opponent is the most radical person to ever serve in the Metro Council, who among other things attempted to slash the Metro Police budget by 42%. Please cast your vote for Alexa Little.

 

District 17: TONYA ESQUIBEL more. I know her. She would

Elect Tonya Esquibel
For Council District 17

make a great council member. 

District 18: No Recommendation. Write in your own name. 

• TOM CASH was one of the council members who signed a letter urging General Sessions judges to cease assisting ICE with the identification and apprehension of illegal aliens. He was one of the 15 Metro Council members who signed on to a resolution calling for Cooper to oust police chief Anderson because Anderson had issued an arrest warrant for riot leaders.  
• ANGUS PURD says he will be a progressive voice for the district. 

District 19: JONATHAN TURNER. I don't know the candidate and have not heard much about this race. That Truner received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, and that he served a policy analyst for the late Senator Douglas Henry causes me to favor his candidacy. Consider this a weak endorsement based on limited information. Here is information on the other candidates. 

• JASPER HENDRICKS, III. He received $5,000 from A Better Nashville, a political action committee with ties to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram of Ingram Industries and Nashville SC
• JACOB KUPIN.  He received several union endorsements including The Central Labor Council, SEIU and the teachers' union. These endorsements do not recommend a candidate to me. When one receives these endorsements, they come with expectations. He received $5,000 from A Better Nashville, a political action committee with ties to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram of Ingram Industries and Nashville SC

District 20: ROLLIN HORTON

District 21: BRANDON TAYLOR.  This is a reluctant endorsement, but Taylor looks good compared to his challenger. In fact, compared to his challenger he looks very good. Taylor is the incumbent. Taylor is progressive and I do not like his record, but his opponent is considerably more radical.  Brandon received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood (wish is a negative in my view) and he has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police (which is a plus in my view).  Taylor's opponent is JAMEL R. CAMPBELL-GOOCH and his website is all about Black power. He is active with Southern Movement Committee which advocates abolishing police and jails. He advocates a Metro funded guaranteed basic income for Nashvillians. Please vote for Brandon Taylor.

. 

District 22: SHERI WEINER. She formerly served in the Council. She is running unopposed. She is a Republican and was a good member of the Council. I am pleased to see her return. 

Elect Thom Druffel
for Council District 23

District 23: THOM DRUFFEL. He has been a voice for responsibility and common sense on the Council and I see no reason to make a change. He has a challenger who I also like, but I am sticking with Thom Druffel. 

 

District 24: No recommendation.  BRENDA GADD is running unopposed, 

District 25: DAVID ACKERMAN.

 

District 26: COURTNEY JOHNSTON. Courtney is the incumbent and is running unopposed. She is one of the good councilmembers and I am delighted she will serve another tern. 

District 27:  ROBERT NASH. He is the incumbent, is running unopposed, has been a good council member and deserves a second term. 

District 28: DAVID BENTON. I don't know the candidate and have not heard much about this race so this is an endorsement made with little information so one may want to take a look at the other candidate also.  Craig Huey, a prominent conservative religious commentator has endorsed Benton and Benton has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. Benton's opponent is TRAVIS LONDON who has received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. Based on just this limited information, I am supporting Benton.

 

Elect Michele Vetter
For Council District 29

District 29: MICHELE VETTER. She has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. Also, Craig Huey, a prominent conservative religious commentator, endorses her. Looking at her three opponents' websites, it is clear that Vetter is the best choice. The other three spout liberal positions. JOHN REED's website features a picture of him taking part in the disruptive "Tennessee Three" demonstration in the State House Chamber. Please vote for Michele Vetter. 

District 30: No recommendation, write in your own name. Unfortunately, SANDRA SEPULVEDA is the incumbent and is running unopposed. She is a radical. I recommend casting no vote or writing in your own name.

Elect Dia Hart
For Council District 31

District 31: DIA HART. She is running against the incumbent JOHN RUTHERFORD who is always a dependable vote for the most liberal position. 

District 32: No Recommendation. JOY STYLES, the incumbent, is running unopposed.

District 33: No Recommendation. ANTOINETTE W. LEE, the incumbent is running unopposed.

District 34: LUKE AUSTIN ELLIOT. 

 

District 35: JASON SPAIN. He appears to be qualified and a reasonable person. He received $7,500 from A Better Nashville, a political action committee with ties to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram of Ingram Industries and Nashville SC. He has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. His opponent is CARSON SMART. I can find no website for him. He did not complete The Tennessean's Q&A sent to all of the candidates. I assume Smart is not serious about his candidacy. 

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