The friendly atmosphere of Nashville’s mayoral forums turned into a political boxing ring Sunday night, now that the race is narrowed to two. Megan Barry and David Fox squared off at a Northwest Nashville church in the runoff’s first debate.
Appearing together for the first time since the first round of voting concluded Aug. 6, Fox wasted little time in going straight at Barry.
The former school board chairman said Barry, a Metro councilwoman, has stood by idly while housing prices in Nashville have rocketed higher.
“I think it’s important to note, as we get on to the conversation, that my competitor here has been on the Metro Council for eight years while this crisis has emerged.”
And that was just the first question. Fox went on to criticize Barry’s record on education, economic policy and policing.
He also portrayed himself as fiscally conservative, yet socially liberal, bristling at the suggestion made at times by his opponents that he sympathizes with the tea party wing of the Republican Party.
“I just shake my head and say, ‘You’re out of your mind,'” he said. “My friends know otherwise.”
For her part, Barry largely stuck to defending her record. She
waited until late in the hour-long forum to let a zinger fly.
Her opening came when Fox complained that an outside political action committee is planning to spread false reports about him.
“I’m going to say I’m happy to hear that he doesn’t like super PACs.”
The line was a reference to spending by Fox’s brother during the campaign’s first round of voting. Barry denied knowing anything about outside spending aimed at Fox.
Barry went on to say that
her experience on the Metro Council is the main thing that sets her apart from Fox.
“My Day 1 will be a continuation of the service that I’ve already brought to this community.”
The forum was put together by Nashville Organized for Action and Hope, an interfaith group that includes labor unions and other liberal organizations.
Neither candidate did well in Davidson County’s northern precincts, neighborhoods that are predominately African-American and where many congregations are NOAH members. The area could swing the outcome of the election.
Linda Lydia, a human resources manager who lives nearby, says she and her neighbors have many of the same concerns as voters in the rest of Nashville.
“Education, affordable housing, future of Nashville, the roads and streets,” she said. “Just everything that everybody’s been talking about.”
Lydia said she supported another candidate in the earlier round of voters.
Now, Nashville voters will have to pick between these final two candidates in a runoff that starts Friday with early voting and ends Sept. 10.
With several more debates in the works, it could be an intense final few weeks.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM