TennesseeThe Journal The weekly insiders newsletter on Tennessee government, politics, and business Vol. 45, No. 3, Sec. 2 January 18, 2018 New faces in the 111th Tennessee General Assembly House Members Charlie Baum (R-Murfreesboro) Mark Cochran (R-Englewood) suc- succeeds Dawn White in District 37. ceeds John Forgety in District 23. He The economics professor at Middle has been chief of staff to McMinn Tennessee State University has also County Mayor John Gentry since served on the Rutherford County 2010. He also served on the state Commission since 2010. He earned Board of Funeral Directors and was his Ph.D. from the University of campaign manager for Rep. Jason North Carolina in 1999. Zachary of Knoxville in 2015. Rush Bricken (R-Tullahoma) suc- Vincent Dixie (D-Nashville) suc- ceeds Judd Matheney in District 47. ceeds Brenda Gilmore in District 54. Bricken has been the CEO of the Cof- He is a former auditor for HCA who fee County Bank since 2010. He has went on to found several of his own served on the Coffee County Com- businesses in the bail bonding and mission since 1988. adult daycare fields. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) suc- Clay Doggett (R-Pulaski) defeated ceeds Sheila Butt in District 64. The incumbent Barry Doss in the Repub- former minor league baseball player lican primary in District 70. He is a is a mortgage loan officer at Regions former Giles County sheriff’s deputy Bank. He has served on the Maury who went on to found Blueline Pres- County Commission and as the sure Washing Services. He cam- county GOP chairman. paigned on a platform of opposing tax increases. Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown) suc- Jesse Chism (D-Memphis) suc- ceeds Tilman Goins in District 10. He ceeds Johnnie Turner in District 85. served on the Hamblen County Com- The real estate investor is a former mission for eight years and founded high school teacher who says he Cumberland Glass 33 years ago, learned his work ethic from time when he was 28. spent at his family’s Chism Trail chain of grocery stores. THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL (ISSN 0194-1240) is published weekly except for one week in June, one in September, and Christmas week by M. Lee Smith Publishers®, a divi- sion of BLR®,100 Winners Circle, Suite 300, Brentwood TN 37027, 615/373-7517 or 1-877-826-5297. Periodicals postage paid at Franklin TN and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE TENNESSEE JOURNAL, P.O. Box 5094, Brentwood TN 37024-5094. Copyright 2019 M. Lee Smith Publishers, a division of BLR. Photocopying or reproducing in any form in whole or in part is a violation of federal copyright law and is strictly prohibited without the publisher’s consent. Editor: Erik Schelzig ([email protected]) • Vice President/Legal: Brad Forrister • Editorial Coordinator: Savannah Gilman Bob Freeman (D-Nashville) suc- Esther Helton (R-East Ridge) suc- ceeds former House Speaker Beth ceeds Marc Gravitt in District 30. She Harwell, who vacated the District 56 is a nurse and member of the East seat to run for the Republican guber- Ridge City Council. She won her natorial nomination last year. The heated Republican primary by 140 real estate investor is the son of Bill votes. Helton campaigned on a plat- Freeman, a former Nashville mayoral form of strengthening individuals’ candidate and Democratic donor. control over health care decisions. Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville) Jason Hodges (D-Clarksville) suc- succeeds Courtney Rogers in District ceeds Joe Pitts in District 67. The for- 45. He is an attorney who has special- mer Marine and county ized in business, probate, and estate commissioner is the operations man- planning matters since 2006. He is ager for the Clarksville-Montgomery president of Goodlettsville Little County School System. He cam- League Baseball, which has twice paigned on a platform of expanding made the World Series. Medicaid in Tennessee. Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) defeated Chris Hurt (R-Halls) succeeds for- incumbent Tim Wirgau in the mer House Minority Leader Craig Republican primary in District 75. Fitzhugh, who vacated his District 82 The former assistant district attorney seat to make a bid for the Democratic was a delegate for Donald Trump at gubernatorial nomination last year. the Republican convention in 2016. Hurt, a real estate broker, is a former His wife, Rebecca, serves on the teacher and head football coach at GOP’s State Executive Committee. Halls High School. Yusuf Hakeem (D-Chattanooga) Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) succeeded JoAnne Favors in District defeated incumbent Eddie Smith in 28. The retiree from General Electric November in their third matchup. Corp. is a former 19-year Chatta- Johnson is a retired teacher who pre- nooga councilman who also served viously served in the House for one on the city’s school board and the term until losing to Smith in 2014. A state Board of Probation and Parole. 2016 bid against Smith fell short. Mark Hall (R-Cleveland) succeeds Justin Lafferty (R-Knoxville), the Kevin Brooks in District 24. The for- owner and manager of rental proper- mer Marine has served on the Brad- ties, was the surprise winner of the ley County Commission. Hall, a Republican primary to succeed Roger barber, is an advocate for expanding Kane in District 89. Lafferty, a former vocational skills training. traveling jewelry salesman, said he was inspired to run by his opposition to Medicaid expansion. Kirk Haston (R-Lobelville) suc- London Lamar (D-Memphis) suc- ceeds Steve McDaniel in District 72. ceeds Raumesh Akbari in District 91. Haston is a former first-round NBA She has served as president of the draft pick after playing college bas- Tennessee Young Democrats and as ketball at Indiana. He is a teacher and vice chair of the Black Caucus of the coach at Perry County High School, Young Democrats of America. where as a player he led the team to a 37-0 season and state championship. Tom Leatherwood (R-Arlington) Lowell Russell (R-Vonore) suc- was appointed to replace the late Ron ceeds Jimmy Matlock in District 21. Lollar as the Republican nominee in The former state trooper survived a District 99 last year. The former fiery 2012 wreck when a truck plowed Shelby County register of deeds into his cruiser parked at the side of served in the Senate from 1992 to Interstate 40. Unable to continue 2000. He ran against then-U.S. Rep. with the THP, Russell became a Mon- Marsha Blackburn in 2008. roe County Sheriff’s spokesman. Brandon Ogles (R-Franklin) won a Robin Smith (R-Hixson) won the crowded primary to succeed Charles District 26 seat vacated by Gerald Sargent in District 61. Ogles worked McCormick. The former chair of the in consulting before deciding to pur- Tennessee Republican Party was an sue carpentry. He and his brother-in- unsuccessful 3rd Congressional Dis- law founded Branch Building Group, trict candidate in 2010. She has since which now does contracting business worked as a project manager and in 35 states. political consultant. Jason Potts (D-Nashville) succeeds Chris Todd (R-Humboldt) succeeds Sherry Jones in District 59. The Jimmy Eldridge in District 73. Todd member of the Nashville Metro is the president of Envirogreen Inc., a Council is a general contractor who Jackson-based construction consult- founded a neighborhood watch group ing business. He has served as chair in his community and volunteers of the National Federation of Inde- with nonprofits like Habitat for pendent Business’ environmental Humanity and Hands On Nashville. advisory council. Iris Rudder (R-Winchester) suc- Dave Wright (R-Corryton) suc- ceeds David Alexander in District 39. ceeds Harry Brooks in District 19. She is a member of the Franklin The former Knox County commis- County Commission and has sioner is a retired operations man- described state Sen. Janice Bowling ager for AT&T. Wright, a former as her political role model. She was Army lieutenant during the Vietnam an area coordinator for Donald era, campaigned on a platform of jobs Trump’s presidential campaign. and education. Senate Members Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) Katrina Robinson (D-Memphis) succeeds former Senate Minority defeated incumbent Reginald Tate in Leader Lee Harris, who was elected the Democratic primary for the Dis- Shelby County mayor, in District 29. trict 33 seat in August. She is owner She is an attorney, a former House of Healthcare Institute Inc., the member, and spoke at the 2016 Dem- state’s only private nursing school. ocratic National Convention. She is Senate Democratic Caucus chair. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville) Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) won the Distinct 19 seat formerly succeeds Bill Ketron, who was elected held by Thelma Harper, who retired. Rutherford County mayor, in District Gilmore is former member of the 13. The former teacher and small Nashville Metro Council who won business owner had previously election to the House in 2006. She is served in the state House since 2012. a retired director of mail service at Vanderbilt University. Rosalind Kurita (I-Clarksville) was appointed as interim successor to for- mer state Sen. Mark Green in District 22 after he was elected to Congress. Kurita, who plans to caucus with Republicans, served in the Senate as a Democrat from 1996 to 2008. Agriculture & Natural Resources Chair- Halford Vice Chair- Todd Chism Clemmons Holt Hulsey Keisling Marsh Moody Reedy Stewart Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee Chair- Reedy Chism Clemmons Halford Holt Hulsey Todd Commerce Chair- T. Hill Vice Chair- Doggett Boyd Calfee Camper Chism Hakeem Haston Hazlewood Holsclaw Hurt C. Johnson Marsh Moon Powell Powers Staples Wright Business Subcommittee Utilities Subcommittee Chair – C. Johnson Chair- Marsh Chism Boyd Doggett Calfee T.