Tennessee is not as red as the Republicans want us to think. A recent Vanderbilt University Poll sponsored by the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions found that Tennesseans rated their fellow voters as much more conservative than they actually are. In other words, perception is not reality. The truth is, Tennessee is not a red state, it’s purple.
And that means Tennessee Democrats can win in 2018.
How we get there is what matters now.
What matters now is how many of us vote in primaries and general elections, and how many of us are willing to knock on doors and make phone calls to push voters to the polls.
What matters now is how many of us show up to volunteer, to host house parties, help transplants and young people register to vote, and support Democrats.
2018 is looking promising. It could be a banner year for Tennessee Democrats. We don’t want to lose this opportunity, and that means we need you.
We have two very strong candidates for Governor, Karl Dean, former Nashville mayor, and Craig Fitzhugh, Minority Leader of the State House.
2018 may very well be the year Tennessee Democrats take back the Governor’s Office.
Beloved former Nashville Mayor and former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen is coming out from political retirement to run for U.S. Senator. Electing Bredesen will help tip the scales of the U.S. Senate toward Democrats.
2018 may very well be the year Tennessee Democrats regain a U.S. Senate seat.
Wait, there’s more. Tennessee district lines will be redrawn for the next decade following the 2020 Census. Right now we have congressional and state legislative districts that strongly favor Republicans. That’s called partisan gerrymandering. But when the lines are redrawn, they need to be more fair so that our representation represents are values and who we really are as a state. Whose job is it to draw the lines? The state legislature, which is overwhelmingly Republican. We must change that.
2018 may very well be the year Tennessee Democrats take back the state legislature.
This year, 17 out of 33 state senate seats are up for election and all 99 state House seats are up for election. State Senators elected in 2018 will still be in office when the district lines are redrawn.
It’s an exciting time, with thousands of people around the country deciding, “enough is enough, I’m going to run!” There is renewed interest in political news, political activism, and there are many new voices. Will you step up and run?
The candidate filing deadline in Tennessee is April 5th, 2018. Open primaries will be held Aug. 2nd, where any registered voter can vote in either the Democrat or the Republican primaries and help select the party candidates. The general election will be held Nov. 6th.
Now you know how much Tennessee needs you. What will you do in 2018 to help Tennessee Democrats pull this off?
