Tennessee moms form political action committee to advocate for gun reform, other issues this election season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee MomPAC, a new, grassroots political action committee announced its formation through a series of election-cycle advertisements focused on gun reform in hopes of pushing people to the polls.

The TN MomPAC ads borrow headlines and video, including one from News 2, regarding guns, and arming teachers in schools.

“We’re fighting issues that most all Tennesseans agree about,” Heather Thomas, TN MomPAC’s founder and executive director said.

Thomas told News 2 the group was formed to fight back against “anti-family politicians and policymakers.” In addition to gun reform, members also plan to raise their concerns about other political issues, including anti-LGBTQ laws, book bans, and reproductive care in the coming months to drive votes.

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While all the the topics the group advocates against are supported by Republicans, Thomas said the PAC isn’t about a political party, but about the issue at hand.

“It’s about anything that harms our families and children, and you know how moms are. If something is harming their children, they will go to any length to protect them,” Thomas said.

According to a 2022 Vanderbilt Child Health poll, just 35% of parents who participated agreed schools would be safer if teachers were armed. The largest majority, 83%, agreed school resource officers would make schools safer.

While the General Assembly did budget $140 million so every school in Tennessee could have an SRO last year, they also passed a bill allowing teachers to carry guns on campus this past session. Gov. Bill Lee signed the legislation, and it became law April 26.

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The lawmakers who sponsored the bill have previously told News 2 the legislation was created to give schools another tool to keep students and staff safe. The educators who will carry guns in schools will be heavily vetted and trained under the law.

“This is designed to help those rural counties that feel like they may need to have a layer of protection in place in the event that they don’t have a school resource officer, and even if they do have a school resource officer, this can add an extra layer of protection and safety for our kids,” Sen. Paul Bailey, (R-Sparta) said to News 2 on April 30.

“It’s not as if I’m being unreasonable. I really believe this bill could save lives and also prevent threats of mass violence or any kind of active shooter situation in our schools,” Rep. Ryan Williams, (R-Cookeville), told News 2 on April 15.

However, members of TN MomPAC are not backing down. They plan to use the teacher carry law and other legislation as issues to drive votes in November.

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“Anyone that’s harming our kids with legislation and not paying attention, they can expect to hear from us during the next several months,” Thomas said.

TN MomPAC’s ads on the lack of gun reform legislation specifically named two lawmakers who did not sponsor the teacher carry bill, but did vote in favor of it. When News 2 reached out to the House Republican Caucus press secretary asking for the lawmakers’ response to the ads, she declined to arrange an interview.

News 2 also reached out to the two lawmakers named in the ad directly; one declined to comment. The other had not responded by the time this article was published.

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