Chairman & Leadership Changes in the TN House
🏛 TN House reshuffles some leadership positions · Shocker: Voters blame NES for poor response to ice storm · Is Nashville for renters? · Much more!
Good afternoon, everyone. A few TN House leadership positions have changed during this year's General Assembly... Surprise! New poll shows Nashville voters aren't happy with NES... About 22,000 residents live in downtown Nashville, and they're mostly renters... And much more!
Who funds your Councilmember? Checkout our new Council Watch tool. We analyzed every donation to every council member to show you whether they're funded by their constituents or someone else. Higher grades go to those who raise more money locally. (Explore)
Things That Never Happen But Should Join us Thursday, February 19th for an evening with Sean Davis, CEO and co-founder of The Federalist. This is the third installment of the Pamphleteer's new monthly event series. Paying Bard-level subscribers receive free access to this and future events. (Buy Tickets)
Like what we do? Forward us to a friend
Reshuffling the deck in the TN House of Representatives.
From Megan Podsiedlik
A few changes have been made in the Tennessee House since this year’s General Assembly began. For starters, the House Republican Caucus voted to replace Representative Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville) with Representative Clark Boyd (R-Lebanon) as Majority Whip. It’s worth noting that Garrett is gearing up to run as a “pro-Trump Christian conservative” candidate in this year’s 6th Congressional District race to replace Congressman John Rose, who is running for governor.
There’s also been some musical chairs going on in House committees. Representative Rusty Grills (R-Newbern) is now the chair of the House Business & Utilities Subcommittee—a position that was previously occupied by Boyd. Curiously, Grills, who is a ninth-generation TN farmer, is no longer the chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee. Instead, rural West Tennessee realtor, Representative Greg Martin, has taken up the position.
✹ THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPEN BUT SHOULD
Welcome to America in 2026. You're sitting at the End of History. Nothing will ever happen again.
The steady march toward the impossible vision of a borderless world governed by rooms full of perfectly rational leaders incapable of committing evil in thought word or deed continues apace.
Will anything–can anything happen–that shakes us from our stupor? Is "Nothing Ever Happens" the law of the land? What should happen that hasn't happened?
Join us Thursday, February 19th as we sit down with Sean Davis, CEO and co-founder of The Federalist, to discuss whether anything will ever happen again and more. (Buy Ticket)
This event is for the benefit of The Pamphleteer and free for paying, Bard-level subscribers.
✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH
Who bankrolls your councilmember? We analyzed every donation to every council member to show you whether they're funded by their constituents or someone else. Higher grades go to those who raise more money locally. (Take a Look)
HEADLINES
- 📊 New Baker Group Strategies poll shows the majority of Davidson County voters blame NES for the botched response to the recent ice storm. Only 15 percent blame the Metro Office of Emergency Management, and 9 percent blame the mayor. While Mayor Freddie O’Connell maintained a 55 - 38 percent approval rating, the majority of voters think the city has gotten severely off track. (NewsChannel 5)
- 🏙 According to the Downtown Partnership’s 2025 Annual Report, Nashville’s residential market is heavily rental-oriented. Looking at the numbers, 75 percent of units are rentals which have a 93 percent occupancy rate. The downtown pipeline shows 6,879 units were completed in the last five years, with 2,975 under construction and 9,846 planned or proposed. Of downtown’s 22,000 residents, 69 percent of households earn over $100,000 and over half cite walkability as a top reason they live in the city. (DP Report)
- 📜 TN House passed legislation that would allow public schools to display the Ten Commandments. House bill sponsor, Representative Michael Hale (R-Smithville), says the legislation does not require schools to post the Ten Commandments but would give them the option to do so. (NewsChannel 5)
DEVELOPMENT
- Ascension Saint Thomas has applied to build a $20.6 million emergency department in Fairview. (NBJ)
- Months after selling for a $15 million loss, a prime downtown development site with approval for hundreds of apartment units is back on the market. (NBJ)
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🪕 Tanasi @ Station Inn, 9p, Info
🎸 Clint Black @ Ryman Auditorium, 8p, $49+, Info
🎸 John Denver Celebration Concert w/ Nashville Symphony @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 7:30p, $39+, Info
🪕 The Cowpokes @ Acme Feed & Seed, 12p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
SATURDAY
🎸 Clint Black @ Ryman Auditorium, 8p, $49+, Info
🪕 Shawn Lane & the Lane Brothers @ Station Inn, 9p, Info
🎸 Emo Night @ Marathon Music Works, 7:30p, $34.48, Info
🎸 Noah Rinker @ Exit/In, 8p, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
SUNDAY
🎸 John Denver Celebration Concert w/ Nashville Symphony @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 7:30p, $39+, Info
🪕 Bluegrass Jam @ Station Inn, 7p, Free, Info
+ a night for musicians and singers from all over the world to gather and enjoy making music together
🪕 Sundays Between with Easy Green @ Tennessee Brew Works, 1p, Info
+ a bluegrass celebration of the music of the Grateful Dead
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.