Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN -7) announcement that she will seek the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) in 2018 is creating growing interest in filling her seat. State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) has already announced his intentions to run, and now Williamson County Christian conservative activist Laurie Cardoza Moore confirms that she is considering launching her own campaign for the Republican nomination.
“It may be a divisive time in our country, but as I listen to people about the issues that matter most to them and their families there is actually remarkable unity when it comes to what they want from our elected leaders,” Cardoza Moore said. “Americans want and deserve leaders who will stand and fight for our values and principles, not retreat or wilt in the face of media criticism or political pushback from the Establishment swamp dwellers. Most importantly, they want their representatives to clearly say what they mean, and mean what they say.”
“Our conservative Christian American values have never been under greater assault from those who would seek to undermine us. Protecting unborn life, unleashing the restraints on our economy so that jobs and prosperity flourish, standing up for our friends and confronting our enemies on the world stage, securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws, and promoting the values that our Founders embraced are unifying ideals for most Americans and an overwhelming majority in the 7th District,” she added.
Cardoza Moore is Founder and President of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations (PJTN), which educates, advocates, and moves to activate Christians, Jews and all people of conscience in building a global community of action and prayer in support of Jews and Israel. She was also the State Spokesperson for Tennessee Right to Life. During her 20 year career in media she has produced or been a part of over 500 video and film projects. She and her husband Stan live in Franklin and have five children.
In 2013, Cardoza Moore spearheaded the formation of a Tennessee coalition to expose the anti-Semitic, anti-American and anti-Christian content in K-12 textbooks being used within the state. The effort identified flawed textbook review procedures and recommended methods be set in place for local communities statewide to review students’ textbook and propose corrective legislation. The model introduced in Tennessee has since spread to gain national attention and momentum.
She has been a vocal opponent of anti-Semitism on Tennessee college campuses be-coming pro-active to educate state legislators on the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) that has in recent years seen violence against Jewish students on campus rising by an alarming 45% across the nation, As a result of her direct efforts, Tennessee legislators voted to take action by introducing HJR 960 in the State General Assembly becoming the first of its kind state resolution condemning BDS on campus. Through PJTN strategic initiatives a dozen states (the latest being Texas and Ohio) have since adopted, or have introduced a version of the resolution originally passed in Tennessee in 2015. Eleven foreign nations have also taken up the cause with Canada passing a motion in their Parliament last year.
“I don’t have a specific timetable for deciding whether or not I will run for Congress,” Cardoza Moore notes, “but I am getting a lot of encouragement to bring my talents, skills, commitment to conservative values and passionate devotion to our country to the political arena. Since committing my life to the Lord in 1991 it gave me the impetus to get involved in becoming a voice for the unborn. The Lord has guided every step of my life. It’s important to me that this important decision for myself and my family will be no different.”
A Green match-up with Cardoza Moore would be one to watch, said one DC political strategist. “They each bring unique and attractive credentials to the race, but the population and donor-base advantage in Williamson County may give a slight edge to her. Green has a ‘record’ in the legislature that provides not only some advantages but also some targets for criticism as well. Cardoza Moore’s first challenge will be generating enough donations to counter the initial advantage that Green’s personal wealth provides.”
The 7th District consists of 19 Middle and Southwest Tennessee counties, including Williamson County just south of Nashville and stretching from Montgomery County on the Tennessee-Kentucky border to Hardeman County on the Tennessee-Mississippi border.
