Republican nomination at stake during debate
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Republicans Mike Greene, Janice Bowling and John Bumpus are seeking the nomination against either Lincoln Davis or Fran Marcum, their Democratic counterparts for the November election. The seat is being vacated by Republican Van Hilleary, who is seeking a term as governor.
Greene is a former state safety commissioner, county executive of his native Maury County and a businessman in Columbia. He said in his opening remarks he supports more local control of government.
“In county government, that’s really where government begins. It does not begin in Nashville. It does not begin in Washington. It begins at the county courthouse,” he said, adding he supports reducing federal mandates that create a “hardship” on local governments.
Janice Bowling, a former teacher, Tullahoma city alderman, community activist and married mother of three adult children, said she supports sending a “strong, conservative voice” to Washington that focuses upon values such as a strong national defense and Second Amendment rights, protecting the “sanctity of human life,” tax cuts and killing the death tax.
“I’m a pistol packing mama,” Bowling said. “The Second Amendment is one of the reasons why our nation is still free.”
Bumpus, a former chair of the Republican party in Bedford County and an attorney and former administrative judge with several community interests, touted conservative values local control of education, support for rural America and elimination of death taxes. He said he has been involved in Republican politics for more than 30 years.
“I’m socially conservative and fiscally conservative and by that I mean the following: I’m pro-life. The Republican Party is the party of life and should remain so. I’m opposed to partial birth abortion. It is an unconscionable practice and I’m also opposed to the homosexual agenda.”