Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. –  host Leahy welcomed Speaker Cameron Sexton to the newsmaker line.
During the third hour, Sexton discussed his barnstorming tour throughout Tennessee in the next 15 days in which they will deliver conservative philosophies of what made Tennessee great over the last 10 years and how well the state is doing. He reminded listeners how Democrats had control of Tennessee for over 100 years and how in only 10 years of Republican control has resulted in more success than in the Democrats 100.
Leahy: We are joined now on our newsmaker line by our good friend and the Tennessee Speaker of the House of Representatives Cam Sexton. Good morning Cam.
Sexton: Good morning!
Leahy: Well, one of the great things about living in a state like Tennessee is that we can speak with the Speaker of the House often. And it’s like a normal conversation. What are you up to today?
Sexton: Well today we are going to barnstorm all across our great state over the next week and a half with members of the General Assembly and then with our Republican Congressional Delegation members. And we’re going to hit 35 counties. 37 stops, to deliver the conservative philosophies of what made Tennessee great over the last 10 years and how well we’re doing.
Leahy: It sounds like a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. What are you finding as you talk to people out in the state?
Sexton: Well I think people are very positive about Tennessee and where we’re going and that we’re in the right direction. I think they just wish Washington would do the same thing. But we met a lot of people who’ve moved from here from outside of Tennessee. And they didn’t know that Tennessee existed like it does until they got here and they see how far their dollar can go. How friendly the people are, and they’re falling in love with Tennessee.
Leahy: Now, when you talk to these people that are moving in here what sort of political attitudes are they bringing Cam? (Chuckles)
Sexton: Well, that’s a question. I think retirees when they’re moving into Tennessee, I have one the biggest retirement populations Fairfield Glade in the state. And you know, when they come in they leave their union Democrat views behind. And they come here with conservative philosophies on money and voting.
And so we’re very hopeful that is they come into Tennessee and they see how we’re doing it compared to how California is destroying businesses. Destroying families and destroying their state. That they don’t want to go back to that type of place. And then so Tennessee is a great place. And I’ll remind you that Democrats had control of our state for over 100 years and Republicans only had control over the last 10 years and the success over the last ten has equated to more than they ever did in the last hundred.
Carmichael: You know, it sounds a little bit like when people flee from Cuba and come to Florida, they realize that they landed in a much better place so they leave any communist views they might have had, they leave those in Cuba. (Leahy chuckles) And the people coming in here from California are leaving their similar California values in California. Which is certainly good to hear.
Sexton: Well, you know, I think President Trump’s right, and I think he said, our great military has defeated fascism and communism. And now at the ballot box, we’re going to have to defeat socialism ourselves in the state of Tennessee and all across this America and that’s what this election is about defeating socialism.
Leahy: Where will you be today? What’s if people are listening and they want to come to see this barnstorming tour? Where will you be today?
Sexton: Yeah, so we’re getting ready to roll into Gallatin right now at 8 a.m. And then we will be in Lebanon today at the courthouse at about 10 a.m. And then we’re going to be in Cookeville at their courthouse today about 12 and then across will today at 3:00. We’re going to hit 35 counties in the next week and a half to make 37 stops. And we’re going to deliver the Conservative Republican message.
Carmichael: Now, there are 35 out of 95 counties, What is happening in the other 60 counties? are they relatively safe counties?
Sexton: Well, so we’re hitting members districts all across the State House and Senate and Congressional delegations be with us. You know, it’s hard to hit all 95 counties in a short period of time but we felt like we have done a lot between now and then. This bus tour is really about delivering the message and going into districts, and doing what they used to do in the old days and barnstorm across the great state of Tennessee or America. And so we’re hopeful. We’re looking forward to the next week and a half.
Carmichael: Well, we tell you what speaking on behalf of a lot of Tennesseans we appreciate everything that you and the Republican House and Senate do to keep to keep our state the greatest state in the country.
Sexton: Well, thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. we’re going to do we’re going to continue that path in the state of Tennessee making sure that we elect the good conservatives to represent our people and our district. And that’s our goal. And our state has been very blessed in the last 10 years. And the last thing I’ll mention on how long you’ll have me, but these new case numbers are coming out…
Leahy: Oh, yeah the COVID case numbers. What’s the latest on that? We’re going to want to talk about that a little bit Speaker Sexton.
Sexton: Yeah, so let me approach that subject. So back in July on the active cases, only one percent of those cases were considered probable. This means that they have not been tested or they haven’t been tested positive yet. But they’re only showing symptoms. But as you know, the symptoms mirror the flu. They mirror allergy. So having symptoms doesn’t mean you’re active. Well in July that was one percent of the people who are in the active cases. And for some reason now, it’s being reported that 11 percent of the active cases being reported now is probable.
And so that’s a huge difference than it was in July. which could be why the numbers are inflating a little bit. And so you have kids who are going back to school. And like in Williamson County alone they had 80 some positive cases and they sent 4,000 kids home. And so if you look at the probable this of that, meaning those kids who show symptoms, they get lumped into seen active even though they’re not active. And so it’s a huge issue that we need to just focus on who tested positive and not try to put in people who we assume are positive.
Carmichael: Also, are hospitalizations going up?
Sexton: Hospitalizations were going up but we’re still within the capacity of the hospitals. You know, the state puts out a nice little page. We’re not in the red and hospitalizations or ICU. But what I will tell you is if that if you are over 70 and 80 years old we have to be very careful with that age group as well as your co-morbidity. What we do know is for the most part anybody who is younger than 60, your success rate, if you do test positive, is 99.8 percent. We just need to make sure the older population is being very aware of what’s going on.
Leahy: Speaker Sexton, a couple of weeks ago you are on this program and you talked about a letter you sent to our controller of the state Justin Wilson – a great guy. A very very down the middle of the road. A very fact-based guy and highly respected. And I think at that time you asked him to give you a review of how Metro Nashville Davidson County has spent some of the state and federal covid-19 money. Can you give us an update on just comptroller Wilson’s activities in that regard?
Sexton: Yes, my understanding is they have finished their internal review of all that and I should have a briefing. I think we’re doing a WebEx meeting here in the next couple of days for them to go over those results with me, but that is back. I haven’t seen it. But they have finished their work.
Leahy: Great. Well, we’ll be delighted to find out whatever comes from that. And I know you got a lot going on over the next 15 days with your barnstorming tour etcetera. But we’d be delighted to hear those results when they come in.
Sexton: I’ll be happy to come back on and talk to you about those issues and about other things, and we’re just hoping to get our state open back up in these big cities and control these independent health boards come January which needs to be controlled a lot more than what they’re being controlled now. And then go back into session and really passing very conservative legislation that will continue to lead our state and our nation.
Leahy: I have to tell you I am a bit envious of your travels around the state. you know, I’ve lived Of tear since well since 1990. I met Crom about six months after I moved here and we’ve been friends ever since. But one thing that really struck me about Tennessee is that every time I travel around I see how beautiful it is. I see how nice the people are. And so I’m kind of envious of you having that opportunity to go all around the state over the next several days.
Sexton: You can join us anytime you want to. love to have you. Our state is a great state and very beautiful. There are three distinct parts of our state Midwest. They all have great things about them that are unique. And so I’m going to enjoy getting on here with our members. We’re going up here to see William Lamberth and Johnny Garrett here.
And then they’re going to hop on the bus and go with us. So it’s going to be a great week and a half to go meet people in our state and talk to them about what’s important to them. And how our state’s leading and how our state leading America. And then hopefully grab some good food at some great restaurants in these areas that are known for.
And that’s one thing that we’re all about too. It’s visiting the local businesses and making sure that they know that they’re important to us and what they do every single day. We want to make sure that they have the opportunity to succeed and be successful and make money. There’s nothing wrong in America with making money.
Leahy: Absolutely. Are you going to make it as far east as Mountain City? I’ve been to Mountain City that’s quite a travel up there. How far east will you go?
Sexton: We’re gonna tickle that. We’re going to get up into Bristol.
Leahy: Oh yeah. You are really seeing the state. Well Speaker Sexton, thanks so much for joining us today. And we will look forward to having you back on the Tennessee Star Report.
Carmichael: We appreciate what you do.
Leahy: This is one of the great things about Tennessee.
Carmichael: Now that’s a Speaker of the House who cares about the people and not about himself.
Leahy: Exactly.
Carmichael: The contrast between our Speaker and Speaker Pelosi could not be greater.
Listen to the full third hour here:
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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Cameron Sexton” by Tennessee General Assembly. Background Photo “Tennessee House” by Ichabod CC BY-SA 3.0.
What about his plan to do away with the electoral college? I wish you’d ask him the tough questions too, please. We have a right to know.
The electoral college, that is, having the States representatively elect the President, is a major aspect of the “guarantee to every State in the union of a republican form of government” (Article lV, Section 4, U.S. Constitution). Our founders disdained democracy as a form of government and so set up a Constituttional Republic whereby the democratic process was constrained by limiting the government to delegated powers and a Bill of Rights that protected the People with inviolable and uninfringeable individual rights which could not be voted away by a majority.. And since the States crested the Federal Government as their agent to form the Union, the States elect the President in 50 separate elections. In that process , the vote of each voting person actually has more significance.