Everything But The Debate
🎪 All the drama, but no governor debate · TIRRC's bid to restrict THP/ICE operations denied · Nashville Symphony financially out of tune · Much more!
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Death threats, faux paws, a million dollar dare: Tennessee’s governor’s race has everything except a debate.
From Megan Podsiedlik
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.
✹ UPCOMING PAMPHLETEER ACTIVITIES
Upcoming Pamphleteer Activities We have a flurry of events over the next two months, with more on the way. From our end-of-summer happy hour this week to Peter Thiel's series of lectures. Bard-level perks apply to all of these events. We hope to see you out there. (View Events)
HEADLINES
- 🚔 TIRRC bid for injunction against TN Highway Patrol-ICE operations denied. A federal judge has denied the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition's request for a preliminary injunction that would have restricted Tennessee Highway Patrol's collaboration with federal immigration authorities. The lawsuit challenges traffic-stop practices involving THP and ICE, while state attorneys argued that the stops were lawful and that the Nashville operation at issue was different from current operations involving the Memphis Safe Task Force. (Banner)
- 🎻 Nashville Symphony facing ‘significant’ financial challenges. The Nashville Symphony says it does not have enough cash on hand to continue operating at its current level. The organization plans to restructure, with the situation becoming more difficult following the August death of longtime major benefactor Martha Ingram, who had previously provided substantial financial support to the symphony. (Scene)
- 🎨 Metro Arts Commission names executive director. After more than 18 months as interim director, Ashley Bachelder has been appointed permanent executive director of the Metro Arts Commission. She has overseen more than $9.6 million in funding for arts organizations and artist projects and helped lead the agency’s response to a 2024 audit that identified management and financial concerns. (Post)
- ⚖️ Judge grants restraining order against Dolly Parton's nephew amid lawsuit over alleged threats. A Davidson County judge has issued a temporary restraining order against Bryan Seaver, Dolly Parton's nephew and former head of security, after Parton's estate-management company alleged that he made threatening communications toward employees and business partners. The order restricts Seaver and his company from interfering with the business, threatening or intimidating personnel, monitoring certain people, and coming within 1,000 feet of specified people or entities. A hearing on a possible longer-term injunction is scheduled for Oct. 7. (NewsChannel 5)
✹ PAMPHLETEER TOOLS
Pamphleteer Tools Council Watch tells you who funds your councilmember and how they vote. The Property Tax Calculator tells you what that cost you.
DEVELOPMENT
- Dragon Alley Joins Surefire Coffee Co. At Albion Music Row In Nashville (Now Next)
- Charlotte Park commercial building sells for $16.8M (Post)
- Site of former Dalts building set for work (Post)
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
🎸 Mom Jeans @ Brooklyn Bowl, 7:30p, $140, Info
🥁 Live Jazz: Parker James, Paul DeFiglia & Anson Hohne @ Vinyl Tap, 7p, Free, Info
🎸 Luke Bryan & Friends @ Bridgestone Arena, 7p, $37, Info
🪕 Pam Setser @ Station Inn, 9p, $20, Info
🎙️ Open Mic @ Fox and Locke, 6:30p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelley's Heroes @ Robert's Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
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The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
Megan Lee Podsiedlik
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.