Tennessee’s elected officials reacted positively to former President Donald Trump’s debate performance against President Joe Biden on Thursday night.
“There is no debate about it: President Trump was the clear winner tonight and the person we need to save our country,” said a statement from Sen. Marsha Blackburn. “Under President Biden, hardworking families can’t afford basic necessities, illegal immigrants are treated better than our nation’s veterans and criminals get off scot-free while the Justice Department unfairly targets conservatives.”
“Tennesseans know we cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden if we want to preserve the American Dream for our children and grandchildren,” the statement continued. “In November, we will get our country back on track by keeping the House, taking the Senate and overwhelmingly sending President Trump back to the White House.”
“After tonight’s debate, I have never been more excited to stand as a Delegate from Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District. My wife Brenda and I are looking forward to supporting [Trump] in Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention,” said Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03).
After tonight’s debate, I have never been more excited to stand as a Delegate from Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District. My wife Brenda and I are looking forward to supporting @realdonaldtrump in Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention.https://t.co/eCKmX3Bc29
— Chuck Fleischmann (@chuck4congress) June 28, 2024
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) had a lot to say about the debate too, suggesting that Biden performed so poorly that Democrats might be planning to drop him as their candidate.
“Was this debate a setup for Democrats to parachute in a candidate without cognitive decline?” he asked. “The leftist propaganda media machine is already churning out the new anti-Biden narrative.”
Was this debate a setup for Democrats to parachute in a candidate without cognitive decline?
The leftist propaganda media machine is already churning out the new anti-Biden narrative. https://t.co/PBMAPnN3ZQ
— Congressman Andy Ogles (@AndyOgles) June 28, 2024
President Trump is CRUSHING Juiced Up Joe,” Ogles said during the debate. “CNN ‘moderators’ are tossing Joe softball questions, and he is still just muttering incoherently in response,” he said.
President Trump is CRUSHING Juiced Up Joe.
CNN “moderators” are tossing Joe softball questions, and he is still just muttering incoherently in response.#Trump2024
— Congressman Andy Ogles (@AndyOgles) June 28, 2024
“America is ready for four more years of @realDonaldTrump!” said Rep. John Rose (R-TN-06) at the conclusion of the debate.
America is ready for four more years of @realDonaldTrump! 🇺🇸
— John Rose (@JohnRoseforTN) June 28, 2024
He added later, “This is embarrassing. Biden is not in any shape to lead our country.”
This is embarrassing. Biden is not in any shape to lead our country.
— John Rose (@JohnRoseforTN) June 28, 2024
On the other side of the aisle, far-left State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), who is running for U.S. Senate against Blackburn, called Trump a liar, referring to the recently debunked “Fine People Hoax.”
When you lie and it’s on tape.🙄 https://t.co/A5CkhmgNB8
— Rep. Gloria Johnson (@VoteGloriaJ) June 28, 2024
On Friday, Elon Musk, the owner of X, responded simply with “lol” at a post from the Democratic Party claiming that Biden won the debate.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 28, 2024
The fallout from the debate for Biden has been palpable, with even left-wing CNN questioning whether he should be the Democratic Party’s nominee.
“You were out there getting a chorus of questions about whether Biden should step down, “one CNN host said in an interview with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who some have speculated could replace Biden at the top of the Democratic Party ticket this fall. “There is panic that has set in among people who have watched this debate who are Democrats, among people who are strategists, and among people who are inside Democratic campaigns.”
Newsom said such panic was “unhelpful” and “unnecessary.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on X/Twitter.
Photo “President Joe Biden” by President Joe Biden.