NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — MTSU and the Tennessee Press Association are hosting a Tennessee gubernatorial debate Tuesday night. Three of the four prominent candidates are expected to participate.
Democratic nominee Jerri Green, a Memphis public defender and city council member, said she will focus on the cost of living, education and healthcare. "We need to end the grocery tax, because people can't afford their groceries right now. We need to fully fund our public schools, because vouchers are failing our public school students and the ones that are getting the vouchers. We need to improve healthcare," Green said during an appearance on Inside Politics with Ben Hall.
Independent candidate David Hatley will also participate. Hatley has built a major company that makes hot tubs and golf carts. He said he leans conservative politically but does not like the direction Gov. Bill Lee has taken Tennessee. "I'm the candidate that can't be bought. I'm taking my own money to run to be the Governor," Hatley said, also on Inside Politics. "We're talking about education that's failing, infrastructure backlogs, budgets that are out of control. We have botched executions here."
Independent candidate Lauren Pinkston will also be at the debate. A former elementary school teacher and business professor, Pinkston has spent much of her career working to combat human trafficking. She describes herself as fiscally conservative while emphasizing individual rights on social issues. "It's going to take a strong independent to sit in the center and bring both sides together so that good policies can rise to the surface," Pinkston said. "I lean very much in terms of human rights and protections under the Constitution for all people, regardless of your gender."
Republican nominee Marsha Blackburn was invited but is not expected to attend. Blackburn has also declined several interview requests from NewsChannel 5.
In August, Blackburn told voters she would focus on immigration, increase transportation spending and grow rural healthcare. She also addressed rapid growth in Tennessee. "In Tennessee, you cannot have sanctuary cities or sanctuary city policies," Blackburn said. "We're going to keep attracting and growing good paying jobs. We're going to do this by supporting local companies that are ready to grow and by being smart about the businesses that we're recruiting to our state."
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