Everything But The Debate

It’s difficult to cover the current gubernatorial race without it reading like a gossip column, mostly because, as seems to be the modern plight of the American voter, candidates don’t debate ideas so much as they hold or capture ground.

The campaign trail has become a game of inches, with no epic showdown where apples can be compared to apples. Instead, it’s smearing, intimidation, battles in the margins over the high ground, and candidates hiding away until they can be rolled out on Election Day. And while surveying the monotonous, and frankly bizarre, hellscape of the modern campaign, people joke about “bringing back the duel.” But, like Dorian Gray, we must eventually gaze upon our collective creation.

Debates & Independents Shake Things Up

Let’s start with the lack of a gubernatorial debate. As expected, Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn has declined Democratic candidate Jerri Green's challenge to participate in a public debate. As the frontrunner, Blackburn has nothing to gain from taking the stage while Green has nothing to lose. But Blackburn’s political strategy has drawn criticism over her campaign visibility.

Adding to the mix, independent candidate David Hatley inserted himself directly into the drama by offering up a $1 million donation to charity if Blackburn agrees to participate in a debate with himself and Green on October 8. Green accepted the proposal, which would take place in Nashville, while Blackburn has yet to respond.

“Now, all we ask you to do is answer questions for Tennesseans,” said Hatley in a social media post directed at Blackburn, before the video fades into “Still D.R.E.” by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg. “As soon as David writes the checks and gives them to these charities, I’m happy to embarrass him and Marsha on October 8th,” replied Green on Facebook when accepting the challenge.

A Campaign Trail of Tears?

Meanwhile, Green has asked independent Lauren Pinkston to drop out of the race after the third-party candidate drew online criticism for posting a video that used Andrew Jackson’s life as a metaphor for mental health.

“Mental health has always been around; we just haven't known how to talk about it,” said Pinkston in the now deleted video. “And as a society, if we don't figure that part out, we're going to continue to have leaders who do very harmful things because they haven't learned how to talk about their feelings. Harmful things like removing all of the Native Americans from Tennessee land when they're president.”

While Green has called Pinkston’s bid for governor unviable, Pinkston has refused to drop out.

“There is no question that Tennessee voters are exhausted by the two-party system. Our state ranked last in voter turnout in the most recent midterm election and follows a national trend where more than 70 percent of voters say they want a viable independent option when they cast ballots,” said Pinkston in response to Green. “My campaign welcomes competition, invites conversation, and opens the lines of communication between candidates and voters.”

A Death Threat

To round things out, a death threat was spray-painted on a building adjacent to Hatley’s office in Johnson City last night. “Drop out or die,” the graffiti reads, accompanied by an anarchy symbol. Local authorities are taking the threat seriously amid heightened concerns over political violence and are investigating the incident. Until more facts are available, the Hatley campaign is not speculating about who may be responsible and is referring all questions to local authorities.