Early voting in the March 13 Special Election in the 14th Senatorial District to fill the vacancy created when State Senator Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) resigned to accept an appointment from the Trump Administration continues at a slow pace. Through Friday, March 2, 2018 only 4,211 votes had been cast. Early voting in Bedford, Moore, Rutherford, Lincoln, and Marshall counties continues through Thursday, March 8.
The Special Election pits Republican nominee Shane Reeves against Democrat Gayle Jordan. Reeves won the nomination by a two to one margin over fellow Republican Joe Carr in January. Jordan was unopposed in the Democratic Party primary.
Republican supporters of Reeves have expressed concern over the low turnout, particularly in the wake of the 17th Senatorial District Special Election last year. In that election Republican Mark Pody narrowly defeated his Democrat challenger by about 300 votes in a heavily Republican District that included Wilson, Cannon, DeKalb, Smith, Clay and Macon counties. Pody, a state representative, had 5,990 total votes while Democrat Mary Alice Carfi received 5,682 votes.
“Republicans nearly lost the seat Sen. Mae Beavers vacated; the Pody margin was seen as a ‘wake up call’ for Republicans to focus on voter turnout in this election cycle,” one Republican strategist noted. “But it looks like Republicans may have hit the snooze button following that alarm and it could cost them the seat in the 14th District if they don’t get busy soon.”
Gayle Jordan apparently represents a particularly toxic far-left wing of the Democratic Party that has young aggressive candidates suddenly appearing in the most unlikely places. I believe they need a refresher course as to exactly how unpopular are their ideas in Tennessee. Now that Shane Reeves finally has an opponent who most certainly is even less conservative than Shane, I hope all Republicans in the 14th District turn out and elect him as their State Senator.
As stated before this is a Republican leadership problem, and an artifact of the two-party system. Both parties are ignoring the statistical reality in TN. Tennesseans are overwhelmingly conervative folk. The Democrat party has moved so far left, they’re swimming in the Pacific ocean. And Republican leadership allows elected “members” to act like the Dems that they actually are. Where are the average conservative citizens of Tennessee supposed to go?
The fact that we have a pair of Republican State legislators pushing in-state tuition for illegals illustrates the point and is all the evidence needed. A deep dive into this issue would surely expose a much more insidious problem!
The “. . .average conservative citizens of Tennessee [are] supposed to go. . .” to the Republican primary and vote for the most conservative candidate wherever possible. When less than 10% of the electorate showed up in January to vote in the 14th Senatorial Dist. Republican Primary the results can’t be blamed on the Republican leadership, as centrist/tepid conservative as they are, rather it’s the fault of conservatives who all too often simply fail to show up.
Another opportunity for conservatives may be on the horizon. One of the Republican legislators you referred to as sponsoring in-state tuition for illegals is Rep. Mark White out of Memphis. He is up for re-election this year and filing deadline is April 5th. Let’s see if he has a primary opponent and “deep dive” into the credentials of any opponent that files. Conservatives may have another opportunity to get rid of at least one Republican who acts like a Democrat regarding a very important issue.