Candidates for both national and state legislatures find themselves in contested races next month, but had the stage to themselves Monday night.
Victoria Broderick, the Democratic nominee for Scott DesJarlais’ District 4 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Scott Bean, an Independent challenger for Janice Bowling’s District 16 State Senate seat, both traveled to McMinnville to attend the political forum presented by the Southern Standard and WCPI-91.3 FM.
Broderick, who described the key planks in her platform as reproductive freedom, responsible gun ownership and an emphasis on public education, said she decided voters in her district needed a choice when it came to picking their representative.
“I decided to run in February of this year, when I found out Scott DesJarlais was going to run unopposed, and I said ‘over my dead body,’” she said. “I believe Tennessee’s 4th District deserved a choice, even if that choice was just moving the needle.
“My campaign has changed a little bit with our presidential change with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Now that needle feels like we’ve got a sure shot at this. That’s just going to require Tennesseans in the 4th District to show up. We can make a change; there are enough people who are tired of not being represented in this district, and we deserve proper representation and a Congressional member who is willing to come back and sit at a table with me. However, he’s not here. I would love to have a debate with him, but he does not show up. And that is not what a representative is supposed to do.”
Bean, a Coffee County native and Fayetteville resident, opened his remarks by explaining his decision to run as an Independent candidate.
“It was probably meant to happen; my mother is a Republican, and my dad is a Democrat,” he said. “It makes for interesting conversations around the holidays. I’m glad to be non-partisan, because I’m glad to be non-judgmental. And that’s somewhere we all need to be.”
Bean acknowledged the need for all legislators to work together in bipartisan efforts to aid their constituents, and noted winning with no party affiliation will be a challenge.
“There are some things I agree with the Republican Party on, and some things I don’t. There are things I agree with the Democratic Party on, and things I don’t. I get asked all the time, am I willing to reach across the aisle. I am the aisle. I want to work with them both. I want to work for Tennessee.”
Bean challenges Democratic nominee Wayne Steele and Bowling on Nov. 5, while Broderick faces not only DesJarlais, but also Independent challengers Earnest Ensley and Keith Nolan.
