Politics
Will Nashville’s mayor bridge rift between city and state leaders?
With Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s first term in its embryonic stage, Tennessee leaders are playing nice amid a cold war between the state and its burgeoning capital city. How O’Connell responds could set the tone for his four-year term replacing Mayor John Cooper. But the former Metro Council member said Tuesday he believes his administration […]
Louisiana’s Steve Scalise and Ohio’s Jim Jordan jump into race for U.S. House speaker
WASHINGTON — Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio announced Wednesday they will seek the U.S. House speaker’s gavel after Kevin McCarthy’s unprecedented ouster brought the lower chamber into uncharted territory. Eight dissident Republicans joined Democrats to unseat McCarthy Tuesday, leaving a vacuum of GOP leadership and bringing an abrupt […]
Blackburn and Johnson each announce seven-figure campaign hauls in the 2024 Tennessee Senate race
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Blackburn’s fundraising numbers Knoxville Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson’s campaign announced she raised $1.3 million in the first six weeks of her bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn in 2024. Blackburn’s campaign announced she raised $2.7 million over the past quarter, holding $6.5 million […]
Heightened security during session could become norm at Tennessee’s State Capitol
State officials won’t divulge the number of troopers who worked security – or the cost – at the August special session, but that type of force could be seen frequently during regular sessions too. House Speaker Cameron Sexton said recently he didn’t know how much the state spent to bring in dozens of troopers, if […]
U.S. House votes to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker
WASHINGTON — Dissident Republicans in the U.S. House voted with Democrats on Tuesday to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, a historic move that came just nine months after he secured the gavel following days of negotiating with the GOP’s right flank and 15 rounds of voting. It wasn’t immediately clear after the vote how the […]
Rep. Justin Jones sues Tennesssee House Speaker over expulsion and silencing rules
Rep. Justin Jones sued Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton in federal court Tuesday, alleging numerous constitutional violations related to his expulsion and silencing during this year’s legislative sessions. In the lawsuit, Jones, D-Nashville, said his removal from the Tennessee House earlier this year violated his right to a fair trial and unfairly stripped him of […]
‘Running on Vibes:’ Inside Nashville vice mayor Angie Henderson’s historic upset
Angie Henderson was prepared to lose. The August 3 municipal election had her pitted against longtime council member and incumbent Vice Mayor Jim Shulman. The early returns were concerning: Shulman was up by roughly 1,500 votes. The only poll conducted had her down 20 points, and now she was trailing. “I remained somewhat optimistic,” Henderson […]
Next battle in Congress over Ukraine aid, as Biden presses House speaker for vote
WASHINGTON — Republican and Democratic lawmakers are searching for a way to clear more aid for Ukraine, after Congress approved a short-term spending bill that didn’t include any additional money for the country. President Joe Biden on Sunday said that U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to find the votes needed to pass a supplemental […]
UAW president says Trump visit to non-union Michigan company is a ‘pathetic irony’
A day after President Joe Biden joined striking United Auto Workers on the picket line in Michigan alongside UAW President Shawn Fain, the labor leader said he had no intention of meeting with former President Donald Trump when he spoke Wednesday at a non-union automotive parts manufacturer and supplier in Macomb County. Fain, speaking Tuesday […]
Lawmakers say stopping federal education funds favors private and charter schools over public
Critics of a plan to consider rejecting upwards of $1.9 billion in federal education funds say the idea would undermine public schools in favor of private and charter school operators. One lawmaker, Sen. Heidi Campbell, went as far as to call it “a grift.” “The controlling party has made it pretty damn clear that they’re […]
Judge allows Kelsey to remain free while appealing sentence
A U.S. District Court judge granted convicted felon Brian Kelsey’s request to stay out of prison on bail while he appeals a 21-month sentence for directing a scheme to violate federal campaign finance laws. The former Germantown Republican senator was to report to prison in mid-October, but Judge Waverly Crenshaw of the Middle District in […]
Top Tennessee lawmakers start push to reject billions of dollars in federal education funds
Tennessee could be on the verge of rejecting nearly $1.9 billion in federal education funding with House and Senate leaders creating a group to study the potential impact. The idea is drawing opposition already, though, from key Democrats, including Sen. Raumesh Akbari of Memphis, who said the money is “essential to ensure educational equity and […]