Governor Bill Haslam says he’s “a little surprised” how many state Republican lawmakers are facing primary challenges this fall. Haslam is getting involved in some reelection campaigns, he says to help those who have helped him.
Haslam says he’s still deciding who all he’ll try to help win reelection. He says while it seems a lot of Republicans are facing challenges from within the GOP, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising:
“A lot more of the challenges come from within parties. As districts become either more red or more blue, then the way you’re going to beat someone in one of those districts is to run to the right if it’s a red state or district, or the left if it’s a blue district.”
Asked whether that makes it harder for more moderate candidates to hold office, Haslam answered it’s dangerous to label people as one type of Republican or another.
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