Local businessman and first-time candidate for the Tennessee House 57th District, Aaron Shane, announced this week that he is putting $150,000 into his campaign to oppose Representative Susan Lynn in the August 2 Republican primary.
Shane made the announcement of his significant personal financial commitment after beginning his campaign just two weeks prior on a “mission to protect the families of District 57 and repeal the gas tax increase.”
Shane is the owner of Shane Electric located in Mt. Juliet, which is a multi-year winner of the Best of Mt. Juliet award. Now a legal citizen, Shane originates from Canada, where he became an “admirer and student of how our Founding Fathers enumerated our God-given rights in the Constitution,” a stark contrast to “the excessive taxation and government overreach” he witnessed in Canada.
“I wouldn’t move back to Canada, if you paid me,” Shane emphatically tells The Tennessee Star.
A staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, member of the Tennessee Firearms Association and the National Rifle Association, Shane relays that in Canada if you legally own a gun and your house is broken into, you are still expected to call law enforcement and hope they arrive in time.
On his campaign website, Shane lays out his beliefs in making his case as “The Conservative Choice.” In doing so, he has a comprehensive platform in which he takes a hard stance on the “bathroom bill,” questioning how this has become an issue, committing to repeal the gas tax, being “100% pro-life,” Constitutional carry, prison reform, education and trade schools, business friendliness and term limits.
One issue that motivated his run and his family’s financial commitment to his campaign is political action committee (PAC) influences on elections and in his press release points specifically to his opponent’s acceptance of funding from lobbyists representing special interest groups.
Indeed, incumbent Susan Lynn’s most recent campaign financial disclosure, “Amended 2018 Early Year End Supplemental (2017)” dated February 7, 2018, showed contributions totaling $40,700. Seventy-seven percent of those contributions, $31,250, came from PACs while just 23 percent came from individuals.
In that report, Lynn’s single largest contribution of $5,000 came from the Tennessee Highway Contractors PAC.
Shane joined the race following the withdrawal by Jeremy Hayes after having his house raided by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which Hayes claims was politically motivated and State Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville) referred to as “horrifying.”
Hayes points to Lynn’s admission that she sought the investigation and the statement made by Wilson County District Attorney Tommy Thompson that Hayes’ withdrawal from the race “was the outcome we wanted all along.”
Shane and Lynn will face off in the Republican primary on August 2, 2018.
He grew up in Canada. Love his phony Southern accent. Wonder who is fronting him the money for the campaign.
With all the lobbyist and PACs buying politicians these days it is refreshing seeing a candidate willing to front so much of his own money to beat the biggest liar elected to office. She has done nothing but lie and attack people since being in office.
Kudos to Shane for being able to put HIS money where his mouth is…
It’s sad that elected office in Tennessee depends on how much money you have but I’d rather someone be indebted to themselves than a special interest group…
It seems Susan Lynn has entered that political career ladder stage where the local people “love her less” and outside entities “love her more”. By reaching this rung she has entered the realm of the professional politician.
So we now know that there is ONE supporter of Rep. Lynn.
If my memory serves me correctly, didn’t Rep Lynn clearly tell then candidate Hayes, I’m not for the gas tax, so, there’s no reason for a debate…..then she voted in favor of the gas tax increase!
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say â??ooh-la-laâ??
Wake up little Susie…
The day someone investing $150K of their own money, to acquire a job paying a small fraction that amount , inherently raises questions and is drawing near.
As the old saying goes, a fool and his money will soon part. I would like to see his bank statements from the past six months.
My question is, how did a fool get the money? Must not be a fool if he has that much money to spend on his campaign.