Maggart to Get Reelection Help from Governor

Governor Bill Haslam at the Hendersonville Rotary Club with Rep. Debra Maggart

Governor Bill Haslam is slowly revealing which state lawmakers will get his help with their reelection campaigns. Rep. Debra Maggart will be one of the first.

Maggart has been under assault from the Tennessee Firearms Association for her role in helping the Haslam Administration block gun legislation. The bill would have allowed people to keep weapons in their vehicles while parked at work. A recent fundraising letter says the Hendersonville Republican should be removed from office as an example to others.

Governor Haslam calls the attacks from gun owners “unmerited.”

“I think anybody who would question Debra’s conservatism I think is missing something. But this isn’t just about Debra. It’s about helping a lot of folks who can be helpful to us in the process.”

Twenty-three Republican lawmakers are facing opposition in the August 2nd primary. That’s way up from previous years, though some races are just an effect of redistricting.

On Monday, Governor Haslam attended an event for Rep. Kevin Brooks of Cleveland, Tennessee.