By the time you read this, the Republican primary for governor between U.S. Rep. John Rose and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn will thankfully be ending. The ads and counter ads between the two have been negative and often silly.
Blackburn breaking up fortune cookies ranks among the most juvenile ads we have seen in a long time. China buying land in Tennessee is not a major issue compared to schools, highways, parks, medical care and public safety. "A registry of foreign-owned propertymaintained by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows Chinese entities own 168 parcels of land nationwide, totalling 247,659 acres, none of which are located in Tennessee," according to reporting by The Tennessean.
Blackburn and Rose have done a good job of avoiding
a serious discussion of issues that impact you and me.
Democrats do not have a credible candidate for governor, and Independent candidate Lauren Pinkston is not viewed as having a chance in November without an infusion of at least $5-$6 million. She has not yet risen above the radar screen.
The campaigns make no mention of a new mental health hospital for our region. Transparency in government is bypassed. The parking lot that Interstate 40 in Knox County becomes daily is not debated.
Locally there are two, perhaps three contests that are competitive. In my view they are Democrat Katherine Bike versus Republican Ashley Sartellefor the Board of Education; and Republican Sheri Super against Democrat Brandon Huckabyand Democrat Katina Sharp against Republican Justin Cofer, all for Knox County Commission.
Super has generated interest by opposing county money going to United Way plus skipping TV interviews, failing to answer the Knox News voter's guide questionnaire and generally being unavailable to debate Huckaby. In addition, it has come out that Cofer quit once and was fired once from the Morgan County Correctional Institute. Republicans were unaware of this disturbing professional history.
In one reporting period, Knox County mayoral candidate Beau Hawk, a Democrat, outspent his opponent, Republican Betsy Henderson. Henderson is not alarmed, as GOP primary rival Larsen Jay raised $1.2 million and lost to Henderson, who raised less than $200,000. Knox News reporting that Hawk marched in Caracas in support of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduroin 2020 has hurt his effort. Hawk called himself "young and dumb" at the time. Candidates who suggest they are dumb usually do not win.
If you did not vote early, I urge you to vote on Election Day on Aug. 6. Two state judges from Knox County seeking to be retained are Kyle Hixson for State Supreme Court and Steve Sword for Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Knoxville Police Department and Mayor Indya Kincannon continue to fail to hire women and African Americans in significant numbers. Their failure to increase numbers should ensure that it becomes an issue in the 2027 mayoral contest when the new city mayor is chosen and has to face this issue.
The recent promotions of 13 officers on July 9 did not include a single woman or African American. There are currently 396 officers, according to Scott Erland, KPD communications manager. Of those, 55 are women and 18 are Black. Less than 5% of all current officers are Black, which is the lowest percentage since the 1980s. That is embarrassing. All sorts of excuses are offered, but my own experience as mayor suggests this can be solved only if the mayor and police chief work together with Black churches and leaders as well as national organizations.
Well-liked and respected Knoxville attorney Jim London moved his mediation practice to Nashville in July. He joins the national law firm of Hall Booth Smith PC. He and his wife, Grace, are moving to Nashville to live downtown.
Birthdays
Aug. 8: Businesswoman Sharon Pryse is 76. Attorney Summer H. McMillan is 60. Don Jacobs is 71. George C. Harrison is 44. Attorney David Wigler is 70. Wes Goddard is 58. Oren D. Yarbrough is 38. Richard Powell is 82. Victoria Niederhauser is 67. Cardin W. Bradley is 60. Betsey Creekmore is 84. Lindsay H. Brazier is 42. Attorney Caesar Stair III is 82.
Aug. 9: Ellen Capito is 77. Graham Hunter is 79. Joe Shouse is 29. Laura Sadler is 45. Ginger Conner is 88. Jen McMahon is 36. Chamique Holdsclaw is 49. Matthew Ryerson is 55. George Conner is 88.
Aug. 10: Nazzy Hashemian is 72. Phil Trotter is 75. Tina Marshall is 62. Linda Haney is 79. Kay Clayton is 7. Attorney Tom McAdams is 74. Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors member Jeff Hagood is 66.
Aug. 11: Tim Graham is 67. Monique Anderson is 73. Jennifer Little is 58. John Duncan III is 46.
Aug. 12: Bill Marrison is 78. Howard G. Hogan is 77. Jack Tallent is 76. Whitney Heins is 45. Wayne Blasius is 72. Steve Drevik is 60.
Aug. 13: Alexandria Worley is 27. Brad Beal is 56. Kyle A. Schellinger is 44. Kristen Combs is 40. Former Knoxville first lady Joan Ashe is 76.
Aug. 14: Jeffrey Baxter is 44. Jamey Dobbs is 68. Jon Lawler is 63. Craig Shelton is 63. Goran Musinovic is 43. Attorney Nathan Rowell is 57. Lynne Cheney, former second lady, is 85. Attorney David Burkhalter is 76. Mary Ellen Brewington is 61.
Victor Ashe is a former Knoxville mayor and former ambassador to Poland. He is a columnist for Shopper News.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Gubernatorial race has focused on distractions, not issues | Opinion
