The week in politics: Lee endorses candidates at odds with local officials on vouchers

Gov. Bill Lee’s first endorsements in open Republican primaries are for three candidates who support his proposal for a statewide school voucher program — despite direct opposition from local legislative bodies in the districts they seek to represent.

Lee announced the endorsements of three candidates for open seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday.

All three of Lee's picks are candidates who have signaled they are ready to flout local wishes on vouchers in support of the governor’s policies ― over other primary candidates who have signaled they would represent local views on the matter.

“School choice is really important to me," Lee said Thursday when asked if he would be a single-issue endorser ahead of the primaries. "It's a priority issue for me. Certainly, it weighs heavily in the decisions around who I'm going to be supportive of. Yes, I'm asking people how they feel about every issue, and in particular, I ask them what's their views for education freedom in this state. It shapes my input in their races."

Earlier this year, dozens of school districts, city councils and county commissions across the state passed resolutions opposing Lee’s school choice proposal, including in many conservative parts of Tennessee.

But whether in an effort to quash local control, or win over the populace altogether, Lee and others in GOP leadership have hit the campaign trail to back voucher supporters, while outside groups like Americans for Prosperity Action knock on doors to build support for candidates that back the policy. There’s a concerted effort to make sure that new House members back the governor’s policy on school choice.

All three candidates endorsed by the governor Thursday were first endorsed last month by Americans for Prosperity Action, who noted their commitment on the voucher issue.

Lee endorsed Lee Reeves, a real estate lawyer from Williamson County, who is seeking to fill a vacancy left by retiring Rep. Sam Whitson, R-Franklin, in District 65. Whitson was one of the few House Republicans who opposed public money going to private schools — a view consistent with many local elected officials in Williamson County. Earlier this year, the Williamson County Board of Education and Franklin Special School District each adopted resolutions opposing Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship legislation.

Despite local opposition, nearly the entire Williamson County delegation supported Lee’s voucher proposal. So will Reeves, whom AFP Action described as "passionate about educational reform and poised to be a vital partner in efforts to expand educational opportunities."

“Lee Reeves is a principled man of character who will work in the General Assembly to champion limited government, individual liberty and school choice for Tennessee families,” Lee said in his endorsement.

In the Republican primary, Reeves faces former Tennessee Republican State Executive Committeewoman Michelle Foreman, and Williamson County Commissioner Brian Beathard, who has gained endorsements from Franklin Mayor Ken Moore, Thompson’s Station Mayor Brian Stover, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson — and Whitson.

Likewise, Lee endorsed attorney and former Young Republicans National Federation chair Jason Emert, of Maryville, who is running to fill a vacancy left by Rep. Bryan Richey, R-Maryville, who is running for state Senate this year. Richey had voted against the voucher proposal. Blount County Schools, Maryville City Schools, and the Blount County Commission all adopted resolutions opposing vouchers this spring.

Lee described Emert as a “strong conservative … who will work to expand opportunity for Tennessee families by empowering parents with school choice.”

Emert faces Blount County Commissioners Nick Bright and Tom Stinnett in the District 20 primary.

In a four-way GOP primary for District 68, Lee has endorsed Aron Maberry, a Montgomery County school board member who is Next-Gen pastor at Mosaic Church in Clarksville.

AFP Action endorsed Maberry saying he is “expected to play a crucial role in efforts to expand educational opportunities” — despite a resolution from the Clarksville City Council opposing vouchers in March.

“Aron Maberry is a dedicated public servant and conservative champion who stands for parental rights and will work hard to deliver opportunity, security and freedom for Tennesseans, including school choice for every Tennessee family,” Lee said. “Aron will represent Montgomery County with integrity, and I fully support his election to the General Assembly.”

Lee touts summer school program in Cheatham County visit

Lee on Thursday visited Pegram Elementary School in Cheatham County and other schools to see kids in action at summer school programs.

Lee's visit comes a year after a controversial third-grade retention law took effect. Third graders who score as "below" or "approaching" proficiency on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test may be forced to repeat the third grade if additional steps aren't taken, such as summer school enrollment.

With a year under the program's belt, fourth graders who performed poorly last year but opted to receive tutoring through the fourth grade were also up for retesting or hitting individualized growth goals this spring.

"We don't want to hold any kids back," Lee said about the law on Thursday. "What we really want to do is to create programs that highlight when a child is struggling and then give them a path forward. That's what these summer programs are intended to do, and the tutoring programs we have going on throughout the year. The goal is for every kid to be successful, and it take multiple pathways for every kid to end up successful."

It's unclear how many children will be impacted by the law this year. The Tennessee Department of Education in recent weeks has refused to release data on the number of third graders forced to retake the test, go to summer school or be retained under the third grade retention law, even as its distributed to schools. The department has frequently cited the data as "embargoed" and preliminary. It's not clear when the data will be available.

In Pegram, Lee visited with school officials and sat in on several classes with young students, several of whom had questions of the governor about his job. After Lee mentioned that, like many professions, the job comes with "really great" days and "hard" days, a student said he related to having a hard day when his parents separated. Another student chimed in to mention his great-grandparents' deaths.

"I like talking about when I've had a hard thing because it kind of makes it feel better," Lee told the class. "Somehow if you talk about it, to your teacher or somebody that loves you, cares about you, all of the sudden you feel better. I don't know why it works that way, but it kind of does."

Lee later may have regretted opening up the floor to questions when another student asked why he doesn't "give money to the poor," which prompted a chuckle in the room.

"We should look for every way we can to help people who are not as fortunate as we might be," Lee said.

Dixie asks for AG opinion on Trump eligibility

Tennessee Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville, has requested a formal opinion from the Attorney General's office regarding former President Donald Trump's ballot eligibility now that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has now been convicted on 34 felony counts.

Tennessee state code blocks people from qualifying to run for public office if they have been convicted of an "infamous crime" in Tennessee, or convicted in another state of a crime that would amount to an "infamous crime" in Tennessee.

Trump was convicted for his role in falsifying business documents to cover up payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors argued he lied on business records to conceal reimbursements to his one-time attorney, Michael Cohen, who in October 2016 paid off Daniels to stay quiet about her affair with Trump. Cohen has already served prison time for a bevy of tax evasion and campaign finance charges, some related to the hush money payment.

"Given the severity and nature of these crimes, which include lying in official filings and engaging in deceitful practices to influence the outcome of an election, I seek your legal interpretation on whether Donald Trump’s convictions in New York constitute an 'infamous crime' under Tennessee law," Dixie said in his request. "Specifically, does this disqualify him from appearing on Tennessee’s ballot for the U.S. presidential election?"

Blackburn votes against contraception protections

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, voted against a bill that would have codified the right to use and distribute birth control.

The Senate bill needed some Republican votes to get to a 60-vote threshold, but it failed on a vote of 51-39.

Blackburn's office has not yet responded to questions regarding Blackburn's vote and position on contraceptive access.

But the Tennessee senator has previously been critical of a landmark Supreme Court decision that effectively legalized birth control use in 1965. Blackburn in 2022 called the decision "constitutionally unsound," echoing a growing Republican talking point around the case as the court majority found that certain fundamental rights to privacy are implied within the Constitution. Conservative critics who prefer a strict reading of the Constitution have long criticized the ruling as an overstep.

Blackburn's office at the time declined to comment on the record and did not address Tennessean questions about about her position on contraceptive access, including her specific objections to the Griswold v. Connecticut ruling, if she would support a state's right to further legislate access to birth control and if she believes government power should supersede a marital right to privacy.

U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tennessee, missed the contraception act vote but signed a joint letter with some Republicans who called the bill "stunt legislation"

"There is no threat to access to contraception, which is legal in every state and required by law to be offered at no cost by health insurers, and it's disgusting that Democrats are fearmongering on this important issue to score cheap political points," the joint letter stated.

Reproductive health advocates and Democrats, meanwhile, have pointed to a massive roll-back of access to once-legal reproductive health services. The arguments long held by anti-abortion activists around "fetal personhood" and a definition that life begins at fertilization led to an effective ban on in-vitro fertilization in Alabama earlier this year follow an Alabama Supreme Court ruling, and anti-abortion activists in some states like Idaho have begun misrepresenting things such as emergency contraceptives and IUDs as abortifacients.

In Tennessee, Republican lawmakers in the General Assembly have blocked legislation to codify contraceptive access. GOP leaders have argued they support access to birth control, so the legislation isn't needed.

Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, who co-sponsored the Tennessee legislation and is now running in the Democratic primary to challenge Blackburn for her Senate seat, criticized the vote on Wednesday.

“Republicans’ universal opposition to the Right to Contraception Act once again demonstrates how out of touch their party has become with most Americans, who overwhelmingly agree: the right to choose if, when, and how to have children is a private matter and should be protected from political interference," Johnson said in a statement.

Johnson opens Nashville campaign office amid U.S. Senate bid

Johnson on Thursday announced plans to open a Nashville campaign office.

"I’m so thrilled to have our Nashville office officially open to the public,” Johnson said. “I want folks to know that this event is open to anyone who wants to learn more about our movement for change, and I’m looking forward to meeting with everyone who comes out to join us on Sunday.”

Johnson and her campaign staff will be at the office, located at 1 Vantage Way, Suite A100, to greet supporters on Sunday, June 9 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

6-year-old Guy Rose meets U.S. House Speaker

After going viral for his goofy faces on the U.S. House floor behind his unsuspecting father, U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Cookeville, while he made a speech, 6-year-old Guy Rose has made the rounds on Capitol Hill ― even catching a moment with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Guy made an appearance on "Fox and Friends" on Tuesday morning and has done interviews with a number of other media. Asked by Fox's Steve Doocy "what does a Congressman do, what does your dad do all day?"

"Does boring stuff," Guy said with a grin.

A C-SPAN crew caught up with Guy in the hallways of Congress to get reaction from the "superstar," walking alongside his dad.

"I was a little excited, and a little not excited," Guy told C-SPAN when asked how he felt about all the attention.

Rose's communications director, Dylan Jones, joked in a social media post about a new opportunity as "media relations for @RepJohnRose's son, Guy."

Salinas, Knight join national Planned Parenthood leadership

House District 96 candidate Gabby Salinas and Nashville politico Kristal Knight will both join national leadership boards for Planned Parenthood.

Knight will join the board of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a nonprofit organization that advocates for abortion rights. Knight is board chair for Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi.

“As a woman from a state with one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country, I’m honored to fight for abortion rights at the national level,” Knight said. “Heading into this election year, people everywhere are fed up with abortion bans, and we are ready to fight.”

Salinas, a pharmaceutical scientist, will join the board of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which supports affiliates across the country that operate local Planned Parenthood health centers.

“We are fighting back to restore reproductive rights statewide and Nationally,” Salinas said. “Abortion is a part of basic gynecological care. Scientific evidence and real-world outcomes show that extreme bans and their exceptions simply do not work. They lead to needless suffering for countless individuals. As a scientist and patient advocate, I believe we need to put reproductive medical decisions back where they belong: in the hands of patients and their care team, not politicians.”

Catch up on the week

Analysis: Ogles spends $335K on tax-funded mailers, far outpacing Tennessee colleagues

With few wins so far, Covenant parents settle in for long-haul gun reform push

Tennesseans with epilepsy relied on state funding for transportation. Then it got cut

Key Tennessee State University committee recommends starting new presidential search

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee endorses pro-school voucher candidates