Tennessee’s 2018 governor’s race: Who’s in, out, undecided
With the 2018 race to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Haslam underway, here’s a roundup of who is in, out or undecided among Democrats and Republicans, in alphabetical order by category.
IN THE RACE › Mae Beavers Party: Republican Website: www.mae4tn.com The state senator began exploring a run for governor after Sen. Mark Green was under consideration for President Donald Trump’s Army secretary. Beavers, a resident of Mount Juliet who has served in the Legisla- ture since 1994, launched her cam- paign in early June.
Although she is believed to be at a sizable disadvantage in terms of fundraising ability, Beavers will rely on her tea party-aligned views — during the 2017 session she sponsored a bill to require students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their sex at birth — to help bolster her candidacy.
Randy Boyd
Party: Republican Website: www.randyboyd.com Speculation rose when the former Economic and Community Development commissioner exited his position in Haslam’s administration in February, just over two years after being tapped for the role.
Boyd — who owns two minor league baseball teams and Radio
Systems Corp., a pet products company with several brands, including Invisible Fence — launched his campaign in March and has been touring the state ever since.
Karl Dean
Party: Democrat
Website: www.karldean.com
Casting himself as a pro-business moderate with a focus on education and jobs, the former Nashville mayor (he served from 2007 to 2015) entered the race in February. While he has an uphill battle — Democrats won just three counties in Tennessee during the 2016 presidential election — political insiders say Dean could provide Democrats the best shot at taking back the governor’s mansion, especially if moderate Republicans aren’t satisfied with their party’s nominee.
Bill Lee Party: Republican Website: www.billlee. com
With no elective experience, Lee quickly points out he is one of the only nonpoliticians in the race. Among the only ties the current chairman of Franklin-based Lee Co. has had to government are his experiences serving on the state’s Higher Education Commission and Haslam’s Task Force on Sentencing and Recidivism.
When he entered the race in April, Lee set off on a 95-day RV tour of the state’s 95 counties.
OUT OF THE RACE
› Andy Berke
Party: Democrat
A former state senator, Berke has served as mayor of Chattanooga since 2013. Since then, his name had been bandied about in Democratic circles as someone who could eventually run for governor. Speculation of launching a 2018 bid was quashed when Berke sought and won re-election in March.
Marsha Blackburn
Party: Republican
The Brentwood congresswoman’s profile has been on the rise in recent years, thanks in part to a prime-time speaking slot at last year’s Republican National Convention. A frequent defender of President Donald Trump, she’s been a favorite among tea party-aligned voters in Tennessee.
In June, Blackburn told the USA Today Network-Tennessee she plans on seeking a ninth term to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Joe Carr
Party: Republican
Another favorite among tea party voters, the former state representative has challenged U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and U.S. Rep. Diane Black in the last two election cycles. As the field of Republican candidates was still forming in the early part of the year, Carr said he was undecided about a potential run, even while supporters encouraged him to enter the race on social media. After Beavers entered the race, Carr told the USA Today Network-Tennessee he would not run for governor.
Bob Corker
Party: Republican Speculation about the U.S. senator and former Chattanooga mayor’s plans for 2018 was fueled in April when he said he was undecided about whether to run for a third term in the Senate. Throughout Trump’s candidacy and presidency, Corker has served as both cheerleader and critic on a variety of issues.
More recently, Corker has said while he’s not sure what he will do next year — run for re-election or something else entirely — he nixed any potential run for governor.
Bill Freeman
Party: Democrat
After an unsuccessful run for Nashville mayor in 2015, some expected the real estate executive to turn his focus on the governor’s race. But in February — on the heels of Dean’s entrance into the race — Freeman took his name out of consideration while stumping for Craig Fitzhugh.
Mark Green
Party: Republican
In January, the Clarksville state senator became the first candidate to file paperwork to allow him to raise money for a governor’s run. Soon after, Green sidelined his campaign after Trump nominated him to be Army secretary. After criticism over his previous comments on LGBTQ rights, evolution and other issues mounted, Green withdrew his name from consideration for the federal post. Despite expectations he might re-enter the race for governor, Green announced in early June he would instead look at potentially serving in the nation’s capital.
Bill Hagerty
Party: Republican
The wealthy Nashville businessman was never officially in the race, let alone considering entering it, but his credentials and political connections on the national level would’ve made him a formidable candidate. Since spearheading Trump’s transition team as director of presidential appointments, Hagerty has been nominated to become the U.S. ambassador to Japan.
Tre Hargett
Party: Republican
Serving as Tennessee secretary of state since 2009, Hargett has repeatedly denied any interest in running for governor. In early June, a spokesman for his office reiterated Hargett’s lack of interest in entering the race.
Scottie Nell Hughes
Party: Republican
An outspoken supporter of Trump who frequently stumped for him during the presidential campaign, Hughes said she has no interest in running for governor in 2018. Instead, the longtime Hendersonville resident said she’s being encouraged to run for the seat held by Black, if she opts to run for governor.
Andy Ogles
Party: Republican
As the director of the state chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Ogles was a vocal opponent of Haslam’s health care expansion plan. More recently, Ogles was among a group of conservatives who mounted opposition to the governor’s gas tax hike, which was enacted this year. Ogles has said he has no plans to run for governor in 2018, instead focusing on working to repeal the gas tax.
UNDECIDED
› Diane Black
Party: Republican
Since becoming chairman of the U.S. House Budget Committee earlier this year, Black has been relatively silent on her plans for 2018. In the event she launches a campaign, she would have to relinquish her position as head of the powerful committee.
In late May, Black was alongside Green, Lee and Boyd at a Reagan Day dinner in Rutherford County, further fueling speculation about her intentions. Days later, a Vanderbilt University poll found Black had the most recognizable name among those either in or considering entering the race.
Craig Fitzhugh
Party: Democrat
Serving at the Legislature since 1994, Fitzhugh has seen his party go from a majority to just 25 members in the House. As the current House minority leader, he has tried to advance a variety of ideas ranging from Medicaid expansion to a K-12 endowment fund.
During this year’s legislative session, Fitzhugh indicated he is leaning toward entering the race and challenging Dean in his effort to become the Democratic Party’s nominee.
Beth Harwell
Party: Republican
Long considered a candidate for governor given her leadership position as House speaker and a decent-sized campaign war chest, Harwell has refused to say whether she will be launching a bid for governor. Since becoming speaker in 2011, Harwell has faced criticism from Democrats and even members of her own party, including during this year’s legislative session. In recent weeks, Harwell has given little sign of her plans for 2018.
Mark Norris
Party: Republican
The Senate majority leader has said since January he is considering entering the race. More recently, the FBI began vetting Norris to fill a federal judgeship vacancy in West Tennessee. The Collierville attorney has not discussed the potential appointment.
WILD CARDS
› Stephen Fincher
Party: Republican
While opting against seeking a fourth term in Congress, the West Tennessee Republican said he didn’t intend to be a career politician. With Fincher’s former staff member Scott Golden now serving as chairman of the state Republican Party, it would hardly be surprising to see the former congressman run for elected office again.
Fincher did not respond to a request for comment.
Alberto Gonzales
Party: Republican
Gonzales has rarely been mentioned as a potential candidate, but some insiders have said the former U.S. attorney general under President George W. Bush could enter the fray at some point. Now serving as dean of the Belmont University School of Law, Gonzales has traveled the state and the country supporting his latest memoir. Last year, when the USA Today Network-Tennessee talked to him about the race, Gonzales said, “What I’m interested in is continuing to build upon this great start we have here at Belmont law school. I’ve got confidence in the voters of Tennessee that they’re going to elect the right person to be our next governor of this great state.”
Gonzales did not respond to a recent request for comment.
Contact Joel Ebert at jebert@ tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.