Independent candidate David Hatley has emerged as one of the highest-profile outsiders in Tennessee's governor's race, joining Republican Marsha Blackburn and Jerri Green on the Nov. 3 ballot.
There will be 15 total independent gubernatorial candidates on this year's ballot, and in the months leading up to the election, the East Tennessee entrepreneur has attracted a significant amount of attention.
Tennessee has never elected an independent governor, and according to a recent TargetSmart Communications poll of 600 likely voters, that streak will likely continue, as Hatley received only 10% of the vote.
Despite his relatively weak polling numbers, Hatley's
high-profile candidacy has ruffled the feathers of Blackburn, resulting in an attack campaign funded by the GOP gubernatorial candidate focused on his past felony conviction.
Here's what to know about David Hatley.
Who is David Hatley?
Hatley is an East Tennessee native who has built nine companies, created 750 Tennessee jobs and developed 740,000 square feet of manufacturing space in the state, according to his campaign website.
Raised in Carter County, he began his first business at 12 and later founded what his campaign describes as the No. 1 hot tub manufacturer on U.S. soil.
Growing up with "no inheritance, no industry connections, and no one handing him a roadmap," Hatley's campaign ethos is built around self-reliance, perseverance, job creation and loyalty to the Volunteer State.
Hatley explains that his independent candidacy is rooted in the desire to answer only to Tennesseans. "No Party. No Donors. Just Tennessee" and "Built not bought" are two of Hatley's primary campaign slogans.
Unlike his political opponents, Hatley has no prior experience in elected office or traditional politics. Until recently, he wasn't even allowed to vote due to his felony conviction.
What are David Hatley's beliefs?
Hatley's campaign emphasizes his fiscal conservatism and pro-business approach, arguing that his decades of experience in the private sector make him a well-positioned candidate to promote economic growth in Tennessee.
Socially, Hatley supports anti-abortion policies and gun rights and has raised money for veterans. He also opposes Flock cameras, data centers and transgender athletes in women's sports.
“I think we can all agree that rhetoric calling for political assassination has no place in Tennessee or anywhere,” Hatley said after the words “Drop Out or Die” were spray-painted on one of his businesses in late September.
“We must never lose sight of the fact that more unites us than divides us and whatever differences we have, we work through them via the democratic process and civil debate, not through violence and terror.”
Has David Hatley been convicted of a crime?
When he was 21, Hatley wrote a series of bad checks that amounted to $38,000 to cover business expenses. Charged with federal bank fraud, Hatley was sentenced to three and a half weeks in federal custody, which he served in Knox County.
Due to the conviction, Hatley was unable to vote for decades, according to WJHL.
“That’s part of my testimony. I think that's what has put me on this journey. I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. I had to work and learn things the hard way, and I turned my life around," Hatley told WCYB News 5 in September.
Marsha Blackburn campaign attacks against David Hatley
The East Tennessee businessman has invested $7 million of his own money in his campaign and built a statewide following by appealing to voters disenchanted with the two-party system.
Hatley's growing visibility has prompted attacks from Blackburn's campaign, including TV ads and a website that spotlights his past felony conviction.
“Hatley is really going after the same conservative constituency and base that Sen. Blackburn has,” Bill Lyons, associate director for community outreach at the Institute for American Civics at the University of Tennessee, told The Tennessean. “And he’s spent a reasonable amount of money to do that and gotten some attention, including from her.”
Beyond attracting attention among conservative voters, Hatley attempted to put more pressure on Blackburn when pledged a million dollars to charity if she debated Green. The debate issue has become a source of scrutiny for the current U.S. senator, given her consistent refusal to debate any of her opponents.
Peter Burditt covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact him at PBurditt@nashvill.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who is David Hatley, the independent running for Tennessee governor
