Tag: Nashville Mayoral Election

Freddie O’Connell’s Lead Grows in New Nashville Mayoral Race Poll

Kaitlin Housler

New polling conducted on behalf of Tennesseans for Student Success by VictoryPhones reported that Metro Councilmember Freddie O’Connell leads the Nashville mayoral race with 25.4 percent of the vote.

Trailing O’Connell in the poll is Alice Rolli (18.8 percent), Matt Wiltshire (14.6 percent), Jeff Yarbro (13.1 percent), Heidi Campbell (5.9 percent), Sharon Hurt (3.6 percent), Vivian Wilhoite (3.4 percent), and Fran Bush (0.8 percent).

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Poll Finds Democratic State Senators Lead in Nashville Mayoral Race

Mac Roberts

In a new poll of the Metro Nashville mayoral election released by Tennesseans for Student Success, State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) leads the pack with 21.9 percent. State Senator Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) comes in second with 17 percent, and progressive Metro Council Member Freddie O’Connell comes in third with 15.6 percent.

The margin of error in the poll is 4.38%, with 500 participants taking part. 

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Nashville Republican Women’s Sheryl Longin: ‘No One Ever Says the Republican Party Found Me, and That Is What Needs to Happen’

Julie Carr

Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Davidson County Republican Party Chair Lonnie Spivak and Nashville Republican Women’s Sheryl Longin in studio to discuss the urgency of the Republican Party to reach out to blue state transplants and the confusion around Nashville politics.

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The Tennessee Star Report Talks to Metro Council at Large Candidate, Adam Dread About Public Safety and the Low Early Voting Turnout for the Nashville Mayoral Race

Julie Carr

During a discussion Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy spoke to Metro Council at large candidate, Adam Dread about low early voter turnout and scooter safety and how it ties into the public’s concerns.

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All Four Nashville Mayoral Candidates Issue Statements on ICE Attempt to Arrest Illegal Alien in Hermitage

Jason M. Reynolds

  A group of Hermitage neighbors interfered with an attempt by ICE on Monday morning to apprehend an undocumented immigrant man and a 12-year-old boy following a traffic stop, Fox 17 reported. Neighbors locked arms around a van the immigrants hid in while ICE agents tried to serve a civil warrant (detainer). Agents left after a standoff that lasted more than two hours when the immigrants went into a house, with their access secured by the neighbors. Metro Nashville Police Department officers were on scene but did not participate with ICE, the station said. On his official Twitter account, incumbent Mayor David Briley tweeted, “Every Nashville resident and family deserves to feel safe, regardless of immigration status. My statement on yesterday’s events.” His tweet was accompanied with the following statement: It is my job as Mayor to keep all Nashvillians safe. On Monday, ICE agents attempted to detain a Nashville resident. However, the agents did not end up detaining the resident, and no arrests were made. Our police officers do not actively participate in immigration enforcement efforts and only serve as peacekeepers. The officers were at the incident to keep neighbors safe and secure a perimeter. I am keenly aware…

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Superintendent Should Report to Nashville’s Mayor, Carol Swain Tells WSMV, But Education Expert Says State Requires School Boards to Oversee Directors

Jason M. Reynolds

  WSMV polled the four major Nashville mayoral candidates on whether the Metro Nashville Public Schools superintendent should report to the mayor instead of the school board, and only one said “Yes.” That candidate was Dr. Carol Swain. WSMV’s story is here. The Metro Nashville mayoral candidates who were polled were Swain, incumbent Mayor David Briley, State Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-TN-55) and at-large Metro Council member John Cooper. Swain told WSMV, “I believe the director of schools should report to the mayor because there has to be some accountability. We’ve had problems in the past. The school board has a budget of almost a billion dollars and we know that we have some of the worst performing schools in the state.” Briley, Clemmons and Cooper said “No.” One education expert told The Tennessee Star that requiring a superintendent to report to an authority other than a school board would be unprecedented. JC Bowman, executive director of the Professional Educators of Tennessee, said, “That structure does not exist in Tennessee. Mayors in urban areas around the nation have closely aligned economic development with K-12 education. However, we have elected school boards to exercise oversight in the state of Tennessee of public schools.”…

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The Tennessee Star Report: Gill and Leahy Ponder, Why Is the Nashville Mayoral Race So Quiet?

Julie Carr

  On Wednesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy pondered why the Mayoral race in Nashville was so quiet and questioned why Swain and Cooper weren’t utilizing an attack while Briley was throwing them softballs. Towards the end of the segment, the men discussed how Davidson County is a deep blue county and will unfortunately always be that way. Gill: A lot of folks are taking this whole week off. Leahy: Yeah. Gill: We’re going to take off Thursday and Friday. (Gill laughs) Leahy: You know who’s really taking the week off, is all the challengers to David Briley. He’s throwing them softballs and they’re not hitting back. Gill: Yeah, he’s giving a pay raise to teachers with money that’s not in the till and not giving pay raises to police officers, first responders, and firefighters because he doesn’t think he’ll get their votes anyway. And he figures he can buy the teachers votes. And Briley, giving away pay raises with money we don’t have. Leahy: And the fraternal order of police, of course, endorsed…

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Tennessee Star Report on New Poll: Briley Crushes Swain in Potential Nashville Mayoral Runoff, But is Easily Defeated by Cooper

Julie Carr

  During a discussion Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy explained the recent Tennessee Star/ Triton poll of the upcoming August 1 Mayoral election in Nashville, Tennessee. Here are the raw numbers from the poll: David Briley 27.8 percent Carol Swain 22 percent John Cooper 19.8 percent John Ray Clemmons  10.8 percent Undecided 19.5 percent If no candidate receives above 50 percent of the vote on August 1, a runoff of the top two vote getters will be held. In a potential runoff between Briley and Swain, Briley wins easily, 50 percent to 31 percent. In a potential runoff between Briley and Cooper, Cooper wins 42 percent to 31 percent. Here’s the transcript of the discussion.   Gill: And as Michael’s been mentioning we have a new Tennessee Star Triton poll of likely Davidson county voters. Five hundred and forty-five likely Davidson county voters surveyed in the poll. And the poll shows continued reelection problems for Mayor David Briley. We did a poll a couple of months ago that showed David Briley was under water when it…

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Nashville Mayoral Candidate Swain Points Out Contradictions in Briley’s Proposed Budget

Jason M. Reynolds

  Metro Nashville Mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain is calling for answers following Mayor David Briley’s contradictory statements and budgetary moves on his controversial parking meter plan. “How can Mayor Briley promise voters he’ll hold off on his widely opposed parking meter plan, at the same time his administration is quietly planning to spend the up-front $30 million it would bring in if passed? Which one is it—the bill is on hold so the public can weigh in, or the mayor will ram it down our throats as soon as he no longer needs our votes? The public deserves honest answers,” Swain said in a press release. Just two weeks ago, Briley said he was “hitting the pause button” on his plan to privatize parking meters, The Tennessee Star reported. “It is clear to me that residents still have questions about the merits of this proposal. Residents need more time – and it is unfair to the public and to Council to rush this process,” Briley wrote. Worse yet, others are using misinformation to further confuse and scare people. It’s politics at its worst. For these reasons, I am hitting the pause button on this proposal.” However, Swain said that last Tuesday,…

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Carol Swain Kicks Off Mayoral Campaign

Jason M. Reynolds

  Nashville mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain kicked off her campaign Sunday to a standing-room-only crowd. She posted on Facebook, “What a tremendous crowd at our Campaign Kickoff! We couldn’t do this without you. We cannot thank you all enough for your support and dedication to our campaign. The Swain Train is growing!” The former Vanderbilt professor posted photos of a standing-room-only crowd at Sunday’s event. “It was rewarding to see so many people come out on a rainy Sunday afternoon to talk about our vision for moving Nashville forward,” Swain said in an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star. “I’ve heard from so many residents who are disappointed with the direction of the city,” she continued, adding: Nashvillians want leadership attuned to providing basic services–from safe streets to good schools to a solution to the traffic mess. Our campaign’s momentum continues to grow as we talk about real solutions and a city government that works for all people, not just the politically connected. Swain’s campaign’s Facebook page is here. Swain held the event at Swett’s Restaurant on Clifton Avenue. Her campaign page says, “Our incredible city has an incredibly broken government led by elected officials who routinely fail us.…

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Councilman Cooper Kicks Off Nashville Mayoral Campaign

Jason M. Reynolds

  Metro Councilman John Cooper on Sunday held his kick-off event for his campaign to try to serve as Nashville’s next mayor. Cooper kicked off his campaign at Gabby’s Burgers & Fries on Humphreys Street. Saying his event was well-attended, he posted on his campaign’s Facebook page:   Cooper announced in April that he would run for mayor of Nashville after saying as early as February he would not, The Tennessee Star reported. Cooper is the brother of U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) and the son of former Gov. Prentice Cooper His campaign website is here. The mayoral election will be held Aug. 1, according to Ballotpedia. – – – Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes. Photo “John Cooper Mayoral Campaign Kickoff” by John Cooper.      

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Funding, Respect Are Crucial for Metro Nashville Police Department, Swain Says for Peace Officers Memorial Day

Jason M. Reynolds

  Mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain spoke out on her plans to support the Metro Nashville Police Department in light of today being Peace Officers Memorial Day. “This week is National Police Week,” Swain said. “I would like to thank the brave officers who sacrifice their time and put their lives on the line for us each and every day. And although this is a week of recognizing the courageous men and women who serve our city, their efforts and bravery should be celebrated each and every day of the year.” “Over the past four weeks, I have had the privilege of going on a ride along with North Precinct and have visited the 6:30 am and 2:30 pm Police roll calls across Davidson County. As Nashville’s next mayor, I look forward to ensuring our police department not only has the manpower, the funds and technology needed to effectively serve our community, but that they also feel well respected by our city’s leaders and the community. I speak as a person who holds a degree in criminal justice and understands the needs and challenges of law enforcement. Thank you for all you do!” Swain is a political scientist and a…

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Swain Raises $118K In Less Than A Month In Nashville Mayoral Race

Jason M. Reynolds

Nashville mayoral candidate Carol Swain said she raised $118,000 in less than a month. The Swain campaign spent less than 7 percent of the money raised compared to incumbent Mayor David Briley who spent about 62 percent of the funds raised this past quarter, Swain said in a statement. Swain said, “We are pleased with our first quarter fundraising and have no intention of slowing down. Our fundraising momentum proves that Nashville is ready and eager for new leadership, and I am ready to serve. We are proud to have a donor base that is incredibly diverse in every sense of the word. This campaign is one that ALL citizens can rally behind regardless of gender, race, age, or political affiliation. I look forward to utilizing the funds generously donated to our campaign to take our message directly to the voters. Together we can elect a mayor who will address our transit issues, partner with law enforcement to lower crime rates, and work to provide affordable housing options.” The former Vanderbilt University professor announced her candidacy in March during her keynote address at a faculty breakfast club event hosted at Tennessee State University in Nashville, The Tennessee Star reported. Swain…

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Fox 17’s Harriet Wallace Joins The Tennessee Star Report and Handicaps the Nashville Mayoral Race

Julie Carr

On Thursday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast Wednesday on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy were joined by special guest host, and WZTV Channel 17’s, Harriet Wallace joined the duo and discussed the upcoming Mayor race in Nashville and who potentially could run. Towards the end of the show, Wallace confided that Nashville is in a crisis and that a candidate is desperately needed that is compassionate and business minded. She also noted that Nashville has not done a good job of nurturing and producing qualified successors for the city. Gill: Harriet Wallace with WZTV Channel 17 also hosts a political show with Scott Couch on Channel 17 Sunday mornings at 9:30am. If you aren’t tuning in and watching, well then you’re screwing up. I mean let’s just tell it like it is.  You’re messing up. You’re not going to know what’s going on. Anyway, Harriett’s with us.  Let’s talk a little bit about the mayors race. I mean… Wallace: I’m rubbing my hands together.  Let’s go. Gill: We’re there.  The mayor’s race, Briley, by all accounts is going to run…

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BREAKING: ‘David Beat Goliath’; Tennessee Supreme Court Sets May Date for Nashville Special Election for Mayor

Tennessee Star Staff

On Tuesday, the Tennessee Supreme Court released a unanimous opinion that instructs the Davidson County Election Commission to set the date for the special election to select a new mayor of Metro Nashville Davidson County Government for any date between May 21 and May 25. The stunning decision overrules the Davidson County Election Commission’s prior decision to set the date at August 2. Mayoral candidate Ludye Wallace was the plaintiff in the case. He was represented by attorney Jamie Hollin. “David beat Goliath,” Hollin told The Star in an exclusive interview. The five Tennessee Supreme Court Justices who ruled unanimously in favor of Wallace were Chief Justice Jeffrey Bivins, and Justices Cornelia Clark, Sharon Lee, Holly Kirby, and Roger Page. News Channel 5 reported: The Davidson County Election Commission voted in March to hold the mayoral election on August 2. Mayoral Candidate Ludye Wallace filed a lawsuit shortly after that vote, claiming the Election Commission violated the Metro Charter and state law with the vote. Both sides presented their arguments to justices Monday afternoon. On Tuesday, the court’s decision reversed a ruling of the Davidson County Chancery Court that upheld the action of the Davidson County Election Commission in setting the election…

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