Updated Aug. 23, 2018
NFIB has endorsed candidates in 89 state legislative general election races. The endorsements were made by the NFIB Tennessee Political Action Committee, which is comprised exclusively of NFIB members. The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 6, with early voting beginning Oct. 17 and ending Nov. 1.
“NFIB-endorsed candidates have demonstrated they either have strongly supported small business in the past or will stand with small business in the 111th General Assembly,” said Jim Brown, Tennessee state director, noting 23 of the 89 endorsed primary candidates are NFIB members. “These candidates are committed to promoting a positive business environment in Tennessee.”
The NFIB Tennessee PAC’s endorsement is important to these campaigns. Small business owners and their employees vote in high numbers and are known for actively recruiting friends, family members, and acquaintances to go to the polls. NFIB has pledged it will activate its grassroots network on behalf of these campaigns. NFIB’s political support is based on the candidates’ positions and records on small-business issues.
Endorsements (NFIB members noted by an asterisk)
Senate
District, Name
1 Steve Southerland
2 Art Swann
3 Rusty Crowe
5 Randy McNally
7 Richard Briggs
9 Mike Bell
11 Bo Watson
13 Dawn White
15 Paul Bailey*
17 Mark Pody*
23 Jack Johnson*
25 Kerry Roberts
27 Ed Jackson*
31 Brian Kelsey
House
District, Name
1 John Crawford
2 Bud Hulsey
3 Timothy Hill*
4 John Holsclaw Jr.*
5 David Hawk
6 Micah Van Huss
7 Matthew Hill
8 Jerome Moon
9 Gary Hicks Jr.
10 Rick Eldridge
11 Jeremy Faison
12 Dale Carr
13 Eddie Smith
14 Jason Zachary*
15 Rick Staples
16 Bill Dunn
17 Andrew Farmer
18 Martin Daniel*
19 Dave Wright
20 Bob Ramsey
21 Lowell Russell
22 Dan Howell
23 Mark Cochran
25 Cameron Sexton
26 Robin Smith*
27 Patsy Hazlewood
29 Mike Carter
30 Esther Helton
31 Ron Travis
32 Kent Calfee
33 John Ragan
34 Tim Rudd*
35 Jerry Sexton*
36 Dennis Powers
37 Charlie Baum
38 Kelly Keisling*
40 Terri Lynn Weaver*
42 Ryan Williams
43 Paul Sherrell
44 William Lamberth*
45 Johnny Garrett
46 Clark Boyd*
47 Rush Bricken
48 Bryan Terry
49 Mike Sparks
53 Jason Powell
54 Vincent Dixie
56 Brent Moody
57 Susan Lynn
62 Pat Marsh*
63 Glen Casada
64 Scott Cepicky
65 Sam Whitson
66 Sabi “Doc” Kumar
67 Tommy Vallejos
68 Curtis Johnson*
69 Michael Curcio
71 David Byrd
73 Chris Todd*
74 Jay Reedy
75 Bruce Griffey
76 Andy Holt*
77 Bill Sanderson
78 Mary Littleton
79 Curtis Halford
81 Debra Moody
82 Chris Hurt
83 Mark White*
90 John DeBerry Jr.*
92 Rick Tillis
94 Ron Gant*
95 Kevin Vaughan*
96 Scott McCormick
97 Jim Coley
99 Tom Leatherwood
