State Rep. David Hawk (R-Greeneville) has joined the list of legislators who want to succeed Beth Harwell as the next Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Hawk told The Tennessee Star he will do things differently than his predecessors. Hawk’s first priority — creating a committee system that he…
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GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Plan Election Night Parties as Bitter Battle Comes Down to Final Day
As The Tennessee Star reported Wednesday, the gubernatorial candidates have engaged in a venue-filled, final days sprint across the state to rally votes for today’s primary. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Candidate schedules, in no particular order, are: Beth Harwell Beth Harwell announced she will…
Read MoreOff the Record: Harwell ‘High’ on Herself …
Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) is “high” on herself as the only gubernatorial candidate who wants to legalize medical marijuana which she usually refers to as “cannabis” as a way to make non-smokers believe she isn’t really talking about weed – known by some as mary jane,…
Read MorePAC Ad Supporting Harwell Says Legalized Marijuana Will ‘Create a State That Lets People Live in a Better State’
A new ad from a PAC called TN State Victory touting gubernatorial candidate Beth Harwell’s support of medical marijuana has hit the airwaves. Sources tell The Tennessee Star the PAC is spending $87,000 to run the ad on broadcast and cable television stations around the state, beginning today and continuing…
Read MoreCandidate Endorsed by President Trump Wins Georgia GOP Gubernatorial Primary Runoff in a Landslide
The candidate President Trump endorsed last week won the Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary runoff last night in a landslide.
Read MoreOFF THE RECORD: Randy Boyd Skips Knoxville Debate . . . For ‘Pricey Steakhouse Dinner’?
Randy Boyd set off a chain reaction when he cancelled Sunday night’s GOP gubernatorial candidate primary debate in Knoxville. Now, one reporter says the cancellation was due to a “pricey steakhouse dinner,” as first reported at TNJ: On the Hill. Boyd had cited an unspecified scheduling conflict as his reason…
Read MoreNew Poll Shows Bill Lee Leads GOP Gubernatorial Primary
A new poll released by JMC Analytics and Polling on Monday morning shows that Bill Lee now leads the Republican gubernatorial primary. The poll of 500 registered Republican voters conducted between July 18 and July 21 puts Lee in first place with 26 percent, followed by Randy Boyd in second…
Read MoreHarwell Campaign ‘Goes to Pot’ with New Ad
Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) launched a new television ad in connection with her “major announcement” on Friday that she was backing efforts to legalize medical marijuana in Tennessee.
Read MoreJeff Hartline Commentary: Why I Support Bill Lee for Governor of Tennesse
Jeff Hartline explains why he has eliminated three politicians and chosen to support Bill Lee for Governor of Tennessee.
Read MoreOFF THE RECORD: In Case You Missed This From the GOP Primaries . . .
What do you get when horse-race gambling meets legal weed? Beth Harwell for governor! There was an “interesting” welcome line-up for Harwell’s June meet and greet in Jefferson City putting Harwell and company only about 20 miles northeast of GOP challenger mega-millionaire Randy Boyd’s home of Knoxville. Four state legislators…
Read MoreSteve Gill: GOP Gubernatorial Primary Debate Cancellation May Be Due To Perceived Lack of Effectiveness
A top political analyst says he is not surprised that three of the candidates running in the Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary dropped out of the last statewide televised debate scheduled for this weekend in Knoxville. The cancellation comes after Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell and Diane Black dropped out, WKRN said. “My…
Read MoreThree GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Say Uphold the Constitution, But Tennessee Attorney General Disagrees and Randy Boyd Is Silent
This past May, seven states, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, sued the federal government to stop Obama’s unconstitutional DACA administrative amnesty program once and for all. To date, Tennessee’s Attorney General Herbert Slatery has not joined the lawsuit. In fact, it appears that Slatery has done an about…
Read MoreGas Tax Increases Another 1 Cent Per Gallon Today Thanks to Gov. Haslam, Democrats, and ‘Moderate’ Republicans
The state gas tax increased another 1 cent per gallon today, thanks to the IMPROVE Act passed by Democrats and “moderate” Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Bill Haslam in May 2017. The controversial law raised state gas taxes by 6 cents per gallon…
Read MoreGOP Gubernatorial Debate Produces Few Sparks But Several Distinctions on Policy
The second in a series of three debates between the four candidates for the Republican nomination for governor broadcast across the state produced few fireworks on Wednesday night. However, it may have helped Bill Lee introduce himself and gain traction as voters begin to increase their focus on a race…
Read MoreA Doctor and a Constitutional Lawyer Are Battling for the GOP Nomination to Succeed Beth Harwell in House District 56
Come November, the winner of the GOP primary for Beth Harwell’s District 56 seat will face off against Democrat Bob Freeman, son of wealthy real estate developer and former Nashville mayoral candidate Bill Freeman. Republican primary opponents Nashville attorney Joseph Williams (pictured, right) and dermatologist Brent Moody (pictured, left) strike…
Read MoreKarl Dean and Former Maryland Gov. Who Endorsed Him Are Both Into ‘Big Chicken’ Industry
Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, who also served two terms as mayor of Baltimore, has endorsed Karl Dean in the Democratic primary for Tennessee’s next governor, as The Tennessee Star reported on Monday. The possibility has been floated that O’Malley will campaign in Tennessee on behalf of Dean. O’Malley, like…
Read MoreWill Liberal Teachers’ Union Endorsement Hamper Beth Harwell In Her Gubernatorial Nomination Bid?
As The Tennessee Star has reported, Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell has received the Tennessee Education Association’s endorsement for the Republican nomination for Governor. The Tennessee Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education (TEA-FCPE), which is the PAC and political arm for the teachers’ union in Tennessee, has endorsed…
Read MoreHaslam Passes Sanctuary City Bill Without Signing; Boyd, Who Claims He’s Against Sanctuary Cities, Wouldn’t Ask Him to Sign
Governor Haslam announced today that instead of signing or vetoing the anti-sanctuary city bill he will allow it to become law without his signature: I could sign it but that would mean that I agree that we have an issue around sanctuary cities. In that regard, intentionally or not, the…
Read MorePotential Haslam Veto of Sanctuary Bill Hurts Boyd But ‘Could Ignite’ Harwell’s Campaign
Open borders and leftist groups are demanding Governor Haslam veto the sanctuary city bill. Proponents of the bill who don’t want criminal illegal aliens released into their communities, want the bill to become law – with or without the Governor’s signature. Putting HB2315 into state law helps Haslam make good…
Read MoreHarwell, Like Boyd, Supported Elevating Political Influence of Current Chairman of National Council of La Raza
After Renata Soto, founder and director of Nashville-based Conexion Americas became a leader in the National Council of La Raza, both GOP gubernatorial candidates Beth Harwell and Randy Boyd, helped elevate her influence in political circles. The Tennessee Judicial Council first appointed Soto to the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC)…
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