A political novice is taking on the state Senate’s longest-serving member. 32-year-old attorney Jeff Yarbro announced Tuesday he will challenge Sen. Doug Henry in next year’s Democratic primary.
Senator Henry started his political life after being elected to the state House in 1955. The 83-year old has held his senate seat representing southwest Nashville for nearly 40 years.
Jeff Yarbro says Henry has served with “honor,” but he says voters of the 21st district deserve a new alternative.
“It’s not always true that the best experience for being a legislator is being a legislator.”
Yarbro says he has nothing bad to say about Senator Henry. He told the longtime legislator of his intent to run several weeks ago. For his part, Senator Henry says he wishes Yarbro wouldn’t run for the seat, but says “that’s his business.”
Yarbro says he wants to bring a spirit of bipartisanship to the Senate, especially on the issue of education. To have a chance at winning, he says he plans to knock on every door in the district before the primary next August.