The field to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) is getting more crowded as Knoxville Dr. Josh Gapp has thrown his hat in the ring.
Gapp announced his candidacy on his website. The announcement is available here.
Gapp is a pathologist specializing in dermatopathology, and he owns and operates his private practice in Knoxville, the press release says.
“As a pathologist trained to spot cancer, I say political correctness has become a cancer on our political system and is the greatest threat to our liberty today,” said Gapp. “Today I am announcing my run for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee because I ‘volunteer’ to be a champion of individual liberty and fight the cancer of political correctness.”
Gapp will have to face off against at least one, if not two, competitors in the Republican primary in 2020.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty this week stepped down from his post; he is expected to run for Alexander’s seat, The Tennessee Star reported.
Alexander announced in December that he would not run again for the Senate, The Star reported. President Donald Trump earlier this month endorsed Hagerty’s potential Senate bid, The Star said.
Gapp is the second doctor to announce a bid for the Senate seat — Dr. Manny Sethi in June declared his intent to run, The Star said. Sethi is an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Gapp, in a campaign video, casts himself as a conservative who supports President Donald Trump. The video is available here.
In the video, he castigates “radical, liberal activists” who want to deny Americans their God-given rights. They are aided by “career politicians” and “elite, privileged insiders who cower before them and give in to their liberal demands. At every turn, they thwart President Trump’s efforts to Make America Great Again.”
Gapp ends with a pledge to fight for liberty and against political correctness.
Gapp has been married to wife Angie for nearly 22 years, his website says. They have four children, ages 9-19 in Knoxville area schools, with their oldest daughter attending college in Nashville. The couple runs their businesses together as a team.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Josh Gapp” by Josh Gapp.
