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 Karen Moore, candidate for the Davidson County state executive committee to talk about her background and why she’s running.
Leahy: At this very moment, our new friend, Karen Moore, is in-studio. Good morning, Karen.
Moore: Good morning. How are you?
Leahy: Well, I am delighted to have you in-studio. You are running for a political … you’re running for office?
Moore: Yes, I’m running for the State Executive Committee.
Leahy: State executive. Not a public office, but part of the Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee, when functioning as the determinant of who’s a bona fide Republican.
It’s not subject to the Tennessee Open Meetings Act and does not function as the Tennessee State Primary Board. This is according to the ruling by the Tennessee Supreme Court, unanimous ruling on Friday. Now tell us a little bit about yourself.
Moore: I have been involved in politics since 2010. I first got my feet wet by organizing a poll-watching party. I wanted people to learn about election integrity, which is very big in my book.
And ever since then, I have been involved. I’ve been on the county party here. I’ve been on the bylaws committee here.
Leahy: So you’re part of the Davidson County Executive Committee?
Moore: Not currently. Right now, I’m on their bylaws committee. I rolled off of the committee, but I was on it for about seven years.
Leahy: For Davidson County.
Moore: Yes, for the county.
Leahy: Got it. And Jim Garrett’s the current chairman.
Moore: Current chairman.
Leahy: And of course, Davidson County Republican Party, sponsoring a debate, 5th Congressional District candidates a week from tomorrow in Madison at 6:00 p.m..
I’ll be the moderator there. If all goes well, you’ll be able to watch that at the tennesseestar.com, if all goes well.
Moore: Yes. And that’s what I love about these congressional candidates here. They are willing to reach down to the local elections and support those candidates, Todd Pembroke and Kelly Phillips for school board. They’re helping them out.
Leahy: Exactly. So tell us a little bit more about yourself. Where are you from originally? What do you do for a living?
Moore: Yes. I was born in Florida. My father was a programmer for the NASA Apollo program down there.
Leahy: Really?
Moore: Yes.
Leahy: Now, did he watch The Right Stuff and all that?
Moore: I’m sure. He watched all that and he stayed (unintelligible speech) …Â a bunch of memorabilia for us. But then they decided my mom was homesick and they went back to their home state of Kentucky, and I was raised in Lexington.
Leahy: Raised in Lexington.
Moore: I know. I do bleed blue.
Leahy: Do you bleed blue?
Moore: Yeah, I really do.
Leahy: That’s all right.
Moore: Yes. There’s a lot of us down here. (Chuckles) The Blue Mist is everywhere.
Leahy: So here’s the good news, though, for you. It’s not that far to be a Blue Mist fan and move down here into the Volunteer State.
Leahy: Me, I’m a Yankee, but I’ve lived here for 31 years. (Chuckles)
Moore: Well, I’ve lived here for 33. (Chuckles)
Leahy: Wow. More than okay. So if you’ve lived here for 33 years, you have a good sense of what Tennessee is all about.
Moore: I absolutely do. And I’ve been out. I’ve put in a lot of sweat equity. I’ve helped support a lot of candidates and that’s what the mission statement for the state executive committee in their bylaws is.
You’re supposed to not only grow the party but you’re also supposed to identify, support, and get-them-over-the-finish-line candidates. And I’ve been doing that for about a decade.
Leahy: When were you on the Davidson County Republican party committee?
Moore: Yes. I joined that about 2015. I just rolled off.
Leahy: Tell us a little bit briefly, how many members of the state executive committee are there?
Moore:Â There’s 66 members. The state is divided up into 33 State Senate districts and I’m running for Senate 20. And there’s a male and female.
Leahy: Male and female.
Moore: So there’s 66 members.
Listen to the interview:
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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.
