Image: SB0799/HB0855 Prime Bill Sponsors Senator Jack Johnson & Representative Lee Reeves Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
The Tennessee Conservative reached out to county GOP Chairs across the state to ask for their stance on the caption bill of SB0799/HB0855 which would essentially strip them of their autonomy to conduct party business and put elections for local candidates firmly under control of the state.
Added as a late amendment to the bill, which has nothing to do with regulating primary elections, the seemingly underhanded caption bill would mandate that all counties be required to use regular state-run primary elections to select party candidates for local races like mayor, sheriff, or county commission instead of retaining their options to host a caucus or convention instead of a regular primary election should they choose.
While it does grandfather in any counties which used another method than a regular primary election during their 2022 and 2024 elections, allowing them to continue in that method for now, it removes their ability to employ any other avenue than a primary election should they ever wish to choose candidates in a different manor. And all counties who currently utilize primary elections, the majority across the state, would be forbidden from selecting any other option in the future to pick party candidates for local partisan races.
Asking, “Do you support removing the ability of GOP officers to conduct caucuses for local elections when specific situations or excessive expenses warrant it? Please explain your position,” the Tennessee Conservative received the below responses, several of which mentioned the issue of crossover voting:
Williamson County Chair Steve Hickey, who testified against the legislation before the Senate State and Local Government Committee, issued this statement on behalf of the Williamson County GOP board-
“These amended bills are an assault on the autonomy of private political organizations, effectively bringing them under state control. The Supreme Court has already declared such state control to be unconstitutional in similar cases, so we are questioning the wisdom of bringing such legislation forward. What is truly sad is nowhere in the haranguing about the primary vs. convention format is an honest discussion about the root cause behind this issue–crossover voting in our open primaries. Why are key legislators not listening and taking steps to preserve the integrity of Republican nomination contests? That should incense Republican voters. The truth is that some ‘Republicans’ cannot win without Democrat support in primaries, and caucuses/conventions would eliminate that critical voting base upon which they have come to rely. We are against state control of the organizational operations of ANY private entity.“
Jason Gilliam, Maury County Chair replied- “I can briefly share that I am not in favor of this amendment. We need to be certain that those running in local elections truly represent and will adhere to the platform of the Republican Party. Primaries, as they currently exist, allow for crossover voting from democrats whose goal could be to seat an individual with no intention of carrying conservative values in their leadership role.”
Anne Lowery, Hamilton County Secretary stated – “We all watched the live feed today of the bill moving forward. It’s very concerning to see legislators purposefully intent on stripping the authority of local Republican parties. If our legislators would pass SB777/HB886 to ensure our elections would truly be protected from cross over voting, this discussion would not be needed. Primary elections across the state are won due to the pandering of democrat votes, including here in Hamilton County. Principled Republicans should all stand in agreement on this issue and the fact that we don’t is very alarming. If a Republican candidate cannot win by Republican votes alone, they should not be elected to represent us.”
Houston Hamblin, Lewis County Chair said- “I am, in general, opposed to the state intervening on what is ultimately a localized issue. Conservative governance typically involves the devolution of power down to the local level, not centralizing power with the state. Nashville already has a power problem, I see no need to give them more.”
Christine Apple, Robertson County Chair replied – “Regarding the proposed language in Section 1(a) — “Statewide political parties shall nominate their candidates in primary elections for all offices for which partisan elections are held at the regular August or regular November election” — this bill represents an infringement on the rights of local political parties. The current process rightly requires that those voting in party leadership elections have a track record of participating in previous Republican primaries. This ensures a higher level of long-term commitment to the party and to our principles. Before moving toward broader changes like mandated primaries, we must first address the ongoing concern of Democrats crossing over to vote in Republican primaries. If left unchecked, this practice undermines the integrity of our party’s leadership selection and risks stripping Republicans of the ability to choose their own leaders.“
Wilson County GOP stated- “Our County Party Reorganizations are controlled by our TN State Party Bylaws. Our Elections are Party business. The Legislature should tend to their own business and leave us alone.“
Ken Hall, Putnam County Chair, said – “As I understand the amendment, it infringes on the rights of our local Republican party. I, at this point, do not support it.“
Abby Morris-Frye, Carter County Chair, replied – “This amendment would have virtually no impact on how Republican nominees are selected in Carter County, as we have long used the primary election process rather than caucuses. The Carter County Republican Party is a staunch supporter of the people’s right to elect their leaders, including the decision of who will represent them as the Party’s nominee. Additionally, Carter County is a heavily Republican County, with 81.15% of voters choosing the Republican candidate during the 2024 Presidential election. Often times, the election of county offices is decided in the Primary Election, as there are very rarely Democratic or Independent candidates who qualify for the ballot, and those who do are even more rarely successful. The last time a Democratic candidate appeared on the ballot for a countywide office was in 2010, and the individual was defeated by the Republican nominee in the general election. With those facts in mind, the Carter County Republican Party believes the primary election process is the best process to serve the needs of our community. However, with that being said, I believe each local party knows their community and its needs best, and should have the freedom to select their nominees in the manner that seems most appropriate to them, whether that be through a primary election or a caucus.”
SB0799 is awaiting a full Senate vote while HB0855 is scheduled for the House State & Local Government Committee for Wednesday, 4/9.
To contact your Senator regarding SB0799 before the floor vote, use this tool: Find My Legislator
To contact the members of the House State & Local Government Committee, please use the information below:
SB0799/HB0855 Strips Local Tennessee GOPs Of Caucus Rights
Rep.john.crawford@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dave.wright@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jeff.burkhart@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ed.butler@capitol.tn.gov, rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov, rep.vincent.dixie@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mary.littleton@capitol.tn.gov, rep.greg.martin@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jake.mccalmon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov, rep.bo.mitchell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tim.rudd@capitol.tn.gov, rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gabby.salinas@capitol.tn.gov, rep.todd.warner@capitol.tn.gov
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
