The facts are clear that the Tennessee Senate Judiciary has been responsible for the last 14 years, including the last 2 years, in killing many good Second Amendment bills – including REAL constitutional carry that was carried by Sen. Mark Green in 2016 when Republican senators John Stevens, Todd Gardenhire and Doug Overbey voted in ways that killed it.
This year, the Senate Judiciary had 9 members, seven of which were Democrats. All of them were appointed to the committee by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally. The current members of the Senate Judiciary are:
- Sen. Todd Gardenhire – chairman
- Sen. Dawn White – vice chair
- Sen. Paul Rose – 2nd vice chair
- Sen. Sara Kyle
- Sen. London Lamar
- Sen. Jon Lundberg
- Sen. Kerry RobertsSen.
- John Stevens
- Sen. Brent Taylor
The two Democrats are Senators Kyle and Lamar, both of whom represent the Memphis area.
Of those 9 members of the Senate Judiciary, every one that is up for re-election in 2024 have challengers in either the August primary elections or the general election in November.
Sen. Todd Gardenhire is challenged by Edward LeCompte (R), Bill Stuart (R), and Missy Crutchfield (D)
Sen. Jon Lundberg is challenged by Bobby Harshbarger (R) and Dalia Price (I)
Sen. John Stevens is challenged by Charles Cooper (R)
Sen. Sara Kyle is challenged by Erika Pearson (D) and Mitchell Morrison (I)
Sen Paul Rose is challenged by Jacaranda Williams (R)
Senators White, Roberts and Taylor are in districts that are not subject to election in 2024.
It is too early to tell how the elections will go for these incumbent candidates. Indeed, there are a lot of big issues in 2024 in addition to the Second Amendment. Other issues include things like immigration, government response to COVID (mask mandates, shots, immunity to health care), the education system, federal over-reach, the massively expanded state tax burden (the state budget more than doubled since Republicans took control in 2010), licensing for illegals, pornography in school books, the Governor’s Red Flag special session, the expanding number of road-blocks to the state’s open records act, taxpayer funding for Ford and the Titans, etc. Another issue might be whether these incumbents will continue to support in 2025 and presumptive effort by Randy McNally to continue at the Lt. Governor.
Of course, legislative committee appointments do change for a variety of reasons. They must change when a committee member looses a re-election bid. The question is with the Senate Judiciary’s history with pretty much the same members over the last few legislative cycles, will the 2024 election cycle impact the 2025 Senate Judiciary Committee composition?
It will be important for you to know the facts and to support the right candidates in 2024 statewide – not just in your district. Your House or Senate members may be fine but the votes of House and Senate members in other districts have just as much of an impact, if not a roadblock, on your Second Amendment rights. The fight for the composition of the Legislature as a Second Amendment supporting body will impact and must impact the 2024 election cycle.
John Harris | Executive Director Tennessee Firearms Association
Joining and supporting TFA is an investment in the fight to restore our constitutional rights and to fight against politicians who are willing to sell their votes and your rights to whichever business interest gives them the most money!
