Five to challenge Roller for Senate seat-He’s only candidate from Warren County
State Sen. Steve Roller will face challenges from five candidates as he stands as the lone Warren County resident in the race for the Senate seat held by Jerry Cooper for 23 years.
Three Democrats and three Republicans qualified to seek the office by yesterday’s deadline. The 14th District encompasses Warren, Van Buren, Franklin, Coffee, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, and Grundy counties.
Roller, who has been actively serving the district since taking the oath of office earlier this year, will first face challenges from Eric Stewart from Belvidere and Jim Woodard from Tullahoma in the Democratic primary in August.
Stewart, who works as an insurance agent, says he hopes to help with industrial development if elected, noting he has been involved with local government in the past and enjoys helping people.
‘I’d love for my child to be able to go to college and then come back here and work,’ said Stewart, noting improvements in the quality of education is a top goal.
Woodard, who is a former McMinnville resident, also plans to emphasize education, noting roads are also a major concern in helping with economic development.
‘Jobs are the lifeblood of our community and we must do everything possible to recruit jobs to our district,’ said the Tullahoma businessman.
On the Republican side, Mike Neiderhauser of Estill Springs, James Threet of Manchester, and Lynn Sebourn of Tullahoma will battle it out in the primary.
Neiderhauser says a better educated workforce and new roads to prepare for a better business infrastructure will be what will help the district thrive.
‘I understand the job situation in Warren County because I lived there for 20 years,’ said Neiderhauser, noting he served as president of the McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce at a time when unemployment was reduced from historical highs. ‘Road projects like the four-lane to Woodbury are very important in attracting business and I’m going to do what I can to see those projects through.’
Threet says he brings with him a history of political service by his family. An attorney and city judge for Manchester, Threet wants to provide quality representation.
‘My family has a reputation of honorable public service,’ Threet said. ‘I want to provide effective representation for the district.’
Sebourn says he aims for honest and ethical government, saying he will fight for a strong Sunshine Law so government business is conducted in public, and for a stricter campaign finance laws. The AEDC engineer also says he wants to crack down on illegal immigration by holding businesses accountable that knowingly hire illegal aliens.
‘As I talk to the citizens of our great district, I sense many have become sick and tired of politics in Tennessee,’ said Sebourn, noting he will push for accountability in government.
The ultimate winner of the Senate race will be elected to a four-year term. The top Democrat and top Republican vote-getters in August will advance to face one another in the general election in November.
In other state office qualifying, Republican 47th District State House incumbent Judd Matheny will face opposition from fellow Coffee County resident John Greeter, a Democrat. The 47th District serves all of Coffee County and the western portion of Warren County.
The 43rd District Representative, Charles Curtiss, will face no opposition.