State of Tennessee Archives: on Principles & Values
Al Gore:
Take your souls to the polls
I feel it coming. I feel a message from this gathering that on Tuesday we’re going to carry Tennessee, and Memphis is going to lead the way. I feel it coming. I believe that on Tuesday morning, very early, before the sun rises,
in congregations all across Memphis, you’re going to be saying, ‘Wake up, it’s time to take your souls to the polls!’
Source: Speech in Tennessee
Nov 4, 2000
Bill Hagerty:
Endorsed by President Trump for nomination
On the 2020 Tennessee Senate race: "There's only one candidate in this race that President Trump has endorsed,"
Hagerty said. "President Trump has endorsed me to be the person to carry conservative Tennessee values forward for the people of Tennessee and that's where I stand, that's where the president stands."
The president wrote on Twitter: "Tennessee loving Bill Hagerty, who was my Tennessee Victory Chair -- will be running for the U.S. Senate.
He is strong on crime, borders & our 2nd A. Loves our Military & our Vets. Has my Complete & Total Endorsement!"
Source: Politico.com on 2020 Tennessee Senate race
Sep 9, 2019
Bill Hagerty:
Must stand up to radical liberals and their socialist agenda
Hagerty said, "Serving in President Trump's administration was the honor of a lifetime, but when I saw the threat to Tennessee and to our county from the Democratic Socialists' agenda, I felt called to act. We must stand up to radical liberals,
like the Squad and their socialist agenda that would deeply damage the America we know and love. Their aim is to deliver more government, more crippling debt and less freedom for my children and yours."
Source: Nashville Business Journal on 2020 Tennessee Senate race
Sep 9, 2019
Bill Hagerty:
America, greatest country, at risk from radical Left
We are fortunate to live in America - the greatest country in the world, and we Americans shouldn't shy away from that. However, the radical Left's constant call for socialist policies demonstrate that they are trying to deconstruct the very essence
and tear apart the very fabric that makes America so great - the American Dream. Our country was founded on the principles of freedom and liberty. America is a beacon of hope across the globe.
Source: The Jackson Sun on 2020 Tennessee Senate race
Oct 16, 2019
Bill Haslam:
Tennessee--America at Its Best: we are a model to the nation
I want to take you back 50 years to 1963. Merritt Potter, a Kingsport realtor, entered a contest to come up with a slogan to promote Tennessee.
He won, and the prize was a $21,000 savings bond. A bill was introduced in the General Assembly to adopt it as the state's official slogan. It passed and was signed into law.
Fifty years later, Merritt Potter's words are still our state's official slogan, and they still are true: "Tennessee--America at Its Best."
Today in Tennessee we are more than a slogan. We think we are a model to the nation in so many ways.
Source: 2014 State of the State address to Tennessee legislature
Feb 3, 2014
Bill Lee:
Faith would influence my decisions as governor
Lee said his faith would influence his decisions as governor if elected, although he is not running to focus on social issues. "No one will outwork me and
I will run the most aggressive campaign in Tennessee history," he said. "We may not have as much pocket change as everyone else, but we'll burn more shoe leather than anybody."
Source: US News & World Report on 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial race
Apr 23, 2017
Bill Lee:
We accomplished my vision at granddad's company
Rather than political service, Lee, who still lives on the cattle farm in Fernvale where he was raised, will lean on his lifelong career at Lee Co., a full-service home facilities and construction company founded by his grandfather in 1944, which
Lee later purchased from his father and became president in 1992.Today, the company--which has offices in Huntsville, Ala.; Cookeville, Tenn.; and Bowling Green, Ky., in addition to its main office in Franklin--employs
1,150 people, mostly plumbers, pipe-fitters and welders, and generates about $225 million in annual revenue. "When I came to that company, I had a vision for it and we've accomplished that vision,"
Lee said. "Those experiences in life have really caused me to have a vision for Tennessee, so I've decided to pursue this endeavor."
Source: The Tennessean on 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial race
Apr 23, 2017
Bill Lee:
Former chairman of the Tennessee Prayer Breakfast
Though he figures to attract pro-business Republicans, Lee, a self-described social conservative and former chairman of the Tennessee Prayer Breakfast, could find traction with faith voters. He said faith would influence his decisions as governor,
but insisted he is not running for office to focus on social issues.[One analyst] called Lee a top-tier
Republican candidate who is not a politician in a traditional sense. "He can and will credibly argue that he is running for office to make a difference," Geer said. "Lee has all the ingredients to be a very successful candidate."
In a race most believe will be Tennessee's most expensive political primary ever, Lee is among multiple candidates who are expected to be in a position to self-finance a portion of their campaigns.
Source: The Tennessean on 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial race
Apr 23, 2017
Bill Lee:
Religious liberty is guaranteed to us by the constitution
We cannot compromise on religious liberty. Tennessee has a rich tradition of faith and civic leaders lifting up families and working together to make communities stronger. But that tradition cannot survive if religious liberty comes under attack.
Our constitution protects an absolute, fundamental right to live your life - at home and in the workplace - according to your values and your faith. Our state's leaders should defend that right.
Source: 2018 Tennessee Gubernatorial website BillLee.com
Jul 4, 2018
Bill Lee:
Faith-based & community initiatives better than government
The voters did not send us here to create more government. They sent us here to protect their freedoms and their hard-earned money. So, to help protect taxpayer dollars and to engage some of our under-utilized citizens, one announcement
I am particularly excited to make is the Governor's Office of Faith-based & Community Initiatives. This office will leverage the non-profit community to not only make lives better but to reduce the responsibilities and ultimately the size of government.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Tennessee legislature
Mar 6, 2019
Bill Lee:
Through times of trial we become more purposeful
But I've learned over my 61 years of life that God is a Redeemer. He takes what is tragic and makes it transformational. There are things that we never would have known, insights we never would have been awakened to.
Through times of trial we become more purposeful and more resolute. We see things more clearly, we act with more intention and we have a greater opportunity more than ever to seize the moment and shape the future.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Feb 8, 2021
Bill Lee:
Called critical race theory is "un-American"
In the past year, at least eight Republican-controlled states, including Tennessee, have passed laws restricting how the concept of race can be taught. Republican Governor Bill Lee, who signed the measure into law, told reporters that critical race
theory is "un-American." The law prohibits public schools from teaching that anyone is "privileged" due to their race. Lessons also cannot make students feel "discomfort, guilt [or] anguish" because of their race or sex.
Source: Reuters on 2022 Tennessee Gubernatorial race
Sep 21, 2021
Bill Lee:
Proclaimed statewide Day of Prayer & Fasting
The governor declared Monday "a Day of Prayer & Fasting." Gov. Bill Lee signed the proclamation declaring Oct. 11 as a Day of Prayer & Fasting.
Lee said in a tweet that he is asking "Tennesseans to join Maria & me as we pause to acknowledge our blessings, seek God's guidance for our state & ask Him for healing, grace & favor for the days ahead."
Source: WSMV on 2022 Tennessee Gubernatorial race
Oct 11, 2021
Bill Lee:
Last June, we commenced Untold Tennessee, a celebration of how the ordinary makes us extraordinary, to commemorate 225 years of statehood. Tennessee has been a beacon to those who wanted something more and needed a frontier to build their
American dream. In 1965, the General Assembly passed a resolution to adopt the state slogan: "Tennessee - America at Its Best". Over the years, leaders have reminded Tennesseans that America at Its Best is more than our slogan - it's our north star.
If we are to embody America at Its Best, that starts with acknowledging that it is our Creator who endows us with freedom, and the government merely maintains that freedom. I believe now more than ever we must show great discipline
and regard for our freedoms. One way we do that is through a small government that contributes to a safe and well-ordered society. Tennessee has pushed back on big government.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Jan 31, 2022
James Mackler:
Wife is a rabbi at Congregation Ohabai Sholom
James' wife, Rabbi Shana Goldstein Mackler, has been serving as a Rabbi at The Temple, Congregation Ohabai Sholom, in Nashville, since her ordination at the Hebrew Union College (HUC) in Cincinnati in June 2004. In 2016, Rabbi Mackler was named one of
America's 32 Most Inspiring Rabbis by Forward Magazine. Together the Macklers are a power couple, if you will, at the convergence of religion and politics, working to help Tennessee, and the LGBT community, reach a better state.
In 2017,
James resigned from his job and ran for U.S. Senate because he saw politics in Washington hurting Tennesseans. But, in December of 2017, Mackler stepped aside to support Governor Phil Bredesen.
Since withdrawing from the race,
James has returned to practicing law, but he has also founded a political action committee (PAC) known as Believe in Service, an appropriate name for someone who believes in raising the issue of national service.
Source: Out & About Nashville on 2018 Tennessee Senate race
Jun 7, 2018
James Mackler:
Change broken system with Jewish tradition "Tikkun Olam"
Across Tennessee, people ask how one person can change a broken system. It's a tall task, and I find the answer in my faith.The most important voice in my life is my wife, Rabbi Shana Goldstein Mackler. She often cites the
Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam, a Hebrew phrase meaning repair the world. "The fact that you cannot change everything doesn't absolve you of an obligation to try," she'll say.
It's my duty, and my mission, to try.
Source: The Tennessean OpEd on 2020 Tennessee Senate race
Mar 16, 2019
Jason Martin:
Instilled values of hard work, family, faith, and community
He was a latch key kid and his parents and step-parents worked hard every single day. While they labored hard to provide for Jason, his many aunts, uncles, and grandparents helped to raise him. Whether it was catching bream in the local watering hole
with his PawPaw, shucking corn from his aunt's garden to feed the family, or helping his Nana manage the house; it was with his family that Dr. Martin was instilled with the values of hard work, family, faith, and community.
Source: 2022 Tennessee Governor campaign website MartinForTN.com
Aug 7, 2022
Jason Martin:
Thinks of himself a moderate "peacemaker," less red and blue
Compared to most progressive Democrats, Martin thinks of himself a moderate "peacemaker." "You can't have compromise if you don't have difference," he said. "How can we lower the tone of the political rhetoric?
How can we make it more purple and less red and blue?" With a difficult path ahead, Martin said he will run a campaign less focused on partisan differences but more on "common ground."
Source: The Tennessean on 2022 Tennessee Gubernatorial race
Aug 23, 2021
JB Smiley:
Organized community prayer service over youth gun violence
Pastors gathered to preach about unity and forgiveness. The city is on track to break the 2020 homicide record of 332. This year there have been 297 homicides. Councilman JB Smiley organized the community prayer service at
New Salem Missionary Baptist Church. Councilman Smiley, who is running for governor of Tennessee, said the key to making change is community involvement.
Source: FOX13Memphis on 2022 Tennessee Gubernatorial race
Nov 23, 2021
Joe Carr:
Endorsed by Tea Party Patriots on anti-amnesty grounds
Sen. Lamar Alexander's primary challenger, state Rep. Joe Carr, picked up another national Tea Party endorsement Thursday, the same day he released a new statewide radio ad.The issue at the center of both the Tea Party Patriots' endorsement and Carr's
new ad is Alexander's alleged support for "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, a charge Carr has made central to his campaign.
The Tea Party Patriots endorsement praised Carr as a "genuine leader" in the fight against illegal immigration, criticizing
Alexander for being one of the 14 Republicans to vote for the reform bill that passed the Senate last year.
"Joe wants to preserve American sovereignty; Lamar Alexander's policies are producing a human wave of criminality and disease on the Rio
Grande," the group's chairwoman said. Carr's radio ad also hits Alexander on his support for the immigration measure, charging that the senator "voted with Democrats to pass a bill creating a border crisis by giving amnesty to 11 million illegal aliens."
Source: The Hill AdWatch on 2014 Tennessee Senate race
Jul 10, 2014
Karl Dean:
Pro-business centrist: good things happen in the middle
Karl Dean is running for governor of Tennessee in an uphill bid to become the first Democrat elected statewide since 2006. Casting himself as a pro-business moderate focused on education and jobs, the former Nashville mayor said he made the call after
consultation with family, deciding he had "a reason and purpose" to run.He's looking to stake out the sort of centrist lane that helped catapult Democrats' most recent statewide officeholder, former Gov. Phil Bredesen, who also was an ex-mayor of
Nashville. For now, Dean is avoiding partisan attacks. In fact, Dean called Haslam, a Republican, a "very good governor" and he declined to offer a single criticism of the sitting governor when asked.
"I think I'm a moderate," Dean said, claiming
support of Democrats and Republicans as mayor, which was a nonpartisan office. "My sense is good things happen when you're in the middle of the road. That's where you can find agreement and move things forward.
Source: The Tennessean on 2018 Tennessee Gubernatorial race
Feb 26, 2017
Lamar Alexander:
Declined to debate in Republican primary
Tennessee state Rep. Joe Carr, Alexander's Republican primary challenger, has a new radio ad that hits Alexander on his support for the immigration measure, charging that the senator "voted with Democrats to pass a bill creating
a border crisis by giving amnesty to 11 million illegal aliens."
The 60-second spot attacks Alexander for refusing to accept Carr's invitation to debate the issues, saying the senator would rather have voters read his website. "Lamar's website doesn't tell you a lot of things," Carr says in the radio ad.
Carr led the charge for stricter immigration laws in the Tennessee Legislature and believes the focus on immigration reform could pay off for him in the Aug. 7 primary election.
Source: The Hill weblog AdWatch on 2014 Tennessee Senate race
Jul 10, 2014
Manny Sethi:
Work to fight for our Christian values
Matthew 9:13 tells us, "The harvest is plenty but the workers are few." My faith is everything to me. It's what guides me; it's who I am. It's why I became a doctor. It's why I do what I do.
After my father passed away, it led me to a closer relationship with Christ. My faith is what shapes my views, and will guide every decision I make in Washington, as I work to fight for our Christian values.
Source: 2020 Tennessee Senate campaign website, DrMannyForSenate.com
Jan 12, 2020
Marquita Bradshaw:
One job away from middle class, one loss away from poverty
Bradshaw has said she has been "one job away from middle class and one job-loss away from poverty." She said she was once under-employed, riddled with student loan debt and without adequate health insurance.
Then she experienced a foreclosure and bankruptcy. "The progressive movement is undeniable!" Bradshaw tweeted after her victory. "Thank you all so much for your support and this victory. It's time to put hardworking people first. Onward."
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press on 2020 Tennessee Senate race
Aug 26, 2020
Marquita Bradshaw:
Lost election but will continue to build grassroots movement
With her primary victory, Bradshaw became the first Black woman nominated for statewide office by a major party in Tennessee, securing the primary win with just $22,000. At the conclusion of his victory speech, Hagerty wished Bradshaw well and
said she had "broken significant barriers in Tennessee." Bradshaw said, "Those skills went into building a grassroots movement across Tennessee that will not stop Nov 3. It's going to continue to grow until this state represents working people issues."
Source: Nashville Tennessean on 2020 Tennessee Senate race
Nov 5, 2020
Marquita Bradshaw:
Lost but will continue to build grassroots movement
With her primary victory, Bradshaw became the first Black woman nominated for statewide office by a major party in Tennessee, securing the primary win with just $22,000. At the conclusion of his victory speech, Hagerty wished Bradshaw well and said she
had "broken significant barriers in Tennessee." Bradshaw said, "Those skills went into building a grassroots movement across Tennessee that will not stop Nov 3. It's going to continue to grow until this state represents working people issues."
Source: The Nashville Tennessean on 2020 Tennessee Senate race
Nov 5, 2020
Phil Bredesen:
1960s scholarship to Harvard; millionaire businessman at 43
Born in New Jersey, Bredesen's father left his mother for another woman. His mother worked as a bank teller while his grandmother took in sewing to support the family.Getting into Harvard University on scholarship in the early 1960s, Bredesen earned
an undergraduate degree in physics. He later worked for several companies, married and then divorced.
He then met Andrea Conte, a nurse. The couple married, then moved to Nashville in 1975 when Conte was recruited to work for HCA, the
Nashville-based hospital company. After arriving, Bredesen focused on creating his own company, HealthAmerica Corp., an insurance company.
When the company sold in 1986, he became became a multimillionaire at age 43. The businessman says he got
his taste for politics while at Harvard, inspired by President John F. Kennedy, also a Harvard graduate. Bredesen ran as a Democrat in 1969 for a Massachusetts Senate seat against a Republican incumbent. He lost.
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press on 2018 Tennessee Senate race
Apr 7, 2018
Bill Lee:
Elites don't always know best; everyday American people do
Last fall, I met a man in Crossville who had just moved his family all the way from New York. He said to me, "When I moved to Tennessee, I felt like I moved back to America." In many ways, our country is off track. But America's best days are not
behind her. If the rest of the country can learn one thing from leading states like Tennessee, it's that when you trust your people, you'll succeed. The most elite, most educated people don't always know best--the everyday American people know best.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Feb 6, 2023
Marquita Bradshaw:
Native of Tennessee; graduate of University of Memphis
Marquita is native to Tennessee. She is a Memphian who has extensive experience in the environmental justice movement. Marquita advocates for human rights. Marquita grew up in South Memphis and is an alumna of university of Memphis.
As a single working-class mother, she raised her son in Tennessee. Bradshaw is a volunteer project director for Defense Depot Memphis, Tennessee -
Concerned Citizens Committee (DDMT-CCC). She is one of the eleven founders of Youth Terminating Pollution. Bradshaw has worked as an organizer at local, state, and
national levels, including work with the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center, Sierra Club, Stand for Children, Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, AFGE, and the AFL-CIO
Source: Candidate Connection on 2024 Tennessee Senate race
Nov 1, 2019
John Rose:
Farming has always been a passion of his; 8th generation
He is raising his family on the Generational Rose family farm because Tennessee is his home. In fact, John is the 8th generation to live and farm in the adjoining Temperance Hall and Lancaster communities. He started working on the farm as a kid and was
raised in nearby Cookeville. John graduated from Cookeville High School and continued his education at Tennessee Tech University. He studied agriculture at Tech, an easy choice for him since farming has always been a passion of his.
Source: 2026 Tennessee Gubernatorial campaign website JohnRose.com
Apr 1, 2025
John Rose:
Tennessee's bedrock values emanate from Christian values
Rose doesn't share much of a platform in the limited clip, but boasts Tennessee's low taxes and limited government regulation, citing the state's reliance on Christianity for what he called its "hospitable" environment for business and
individuals. "Fundamentally, I think that environment we have in Tennessee comes from our bedrock values, and much of that emanates from our Christian values," Rose added.
Source: Nashville Banner on 2024 Tennessee Gubernatorial race
Mar 4, 2025
Marsha Blackburn:
Grateful for the work done by Christian media leaders
Blackburn thanked Christian media leaders for their continued involvement in preserving the wellbeing of families. "One of the things I appreciate is how you run toward consequential issues," Blackburn said. "You're very intentional about
how you talk about religious liberty, education, life, free speech, and protecting children, and especially from human trafficking and abuse. I am so grateful for the work that you're doing."
Source: National Religious Broadcasters: 2026 Tennessee Senate race
Mar 13, 2025
Page last updated: Mar 14, 2026