In an exclusive statement provided to The Tennessee Star, VIEWPAC, a Republican women’s political action committee that was founded in 1997, endorsed former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.
VIEWPAC “was created with the goal of electing qualified, serious Republican women to Congress and protecting and increasing the number of Republican women who hold federal office,” the announcement notes.
Harwell said, “I am honored to receive the endorsement of VIEWPAC and to join the ranks of so many other strong Republican women who are standing up and taking America’s future into their own hands. We have to get America back on track and that starts with some Tennessee common sense in Congress.”
VIEWPAC’s 2020 endorsements included 11 seats that Republican women flipped from Democrat control, bringing the total to 33 Republican women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The release says that the group has provided financial support to both incumbents and competitive candidates across the country to the tune of over $25,000,000.
“As Speaker of the House, Beth Harwell broke barriers and fought for Tennesseans every step of the way. She led with the same principled conservative values we need more of in Washington, cutting taxes and standing up for Tennessee families to expand education access.” said Julie Conway, VIEWPAC’s Executive Director. “VIEWPAC is proud to endorse Beth in her run to represent Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District and are glad to welcome her into our fold of strong, Republican women.”
This is the second Republican women’s PAC that has endorsed Harwell’s campaign for TN-5 since she announced five weeks ago. The Tennessee Star previously reported in mid-March, Maggie’s List endorsed the campaign saying that Beth “will get the job done for such a time as this.”
Beth Harwell is the former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives and was the first female to fill that role. She was also chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party. Her tenure there saw Republicans capture a majority in the State Senate for the first time in nearly 150 years. Harwell also served as Tennessee House Republican Caucus Whip and Campaign Committee Chair. During that time, State House Republicans won and held the majority in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
After leaving state office, Harwell was tapped by the Trump administration to serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors, a position she still holds.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, and Parler.
[…] has also been endorsed by two national Republican women’s political action committees, VIEWPAC and Maggie’s List. Both organizations are dedicated to electing Republican women to office […]
[…] Star previously reported that Harwell has been endorsed by two national Republican women’s political action […]
Harwell supported RINO Bill Haslum by delaying conceal carry legislation! She also supported Haslum withe a hugh gas tax increase! Harwell us tge RINO candidate!
Speaker Harwell was a very good legislative leader and would be a very good Member of Congress.
Everyone is entitled to their own criterion to use when they are choosing candidates. In rhw case of Value in Electing Women PAC (“VIEWPAC”), it’s members want to financially support people who have female genitalia who identify as “Republicans.” While the genitalia part is pretty clear, just what the “Republican” label means is rather nebulous in terms of beliefs and policies. Anyway, it’s clear why VIEWPAC supports Beth Harwell.
On the other hand, I am a conservative so I am almost exclusively interested in supporting the candidate with the most proven record of adherence to conservative beliefs and policies who has a reasonable chance of being elected. That’s why I am supporting Andy Ogles for Congress from the 5th District.
Stuart. Well put. I have nothing personal against Harwell but her tenure in the Assembly was not impressive to this conservative. Ogles has an earned reputation of supporting and implementing true conservative values.
Andy Ogles governs Maury County like a typical liberal. Raised Taxes, Huge Deficit Spending, gave himself a brand new SUV and new furniture. Not a conservative.
I’m a relative newcomer to TN-5, (not as new as Ortagus and Starbuck — 14+ years), but my recollection of Harwell is that she was a classic, establishment-loving RINO. We already have enough of those in Tennessee, and in Congress. Can’t we do better?