A veteran lawmaker from Rutherford County today joined the ranks of state legislators who won’t seek reelection. The tally of House members leaving office is now up to eight.
Hours before the filing deadline, Republican Donna Rowland announced she wouldn’t run again for the seat she’s held since 2001.
“My goal was never to be a career politician, and I think 10 years is a good amount of time to serve. There are some great opportunities ahead of me, especially with the new Republican administration that will be coming in.”
Rowland left herself room to join a possible new Republican governor, or to run for elective service again.
Rowland’s exit leaves Republican Rick Womick running for the District 34 seat. Bill Shacklett and Mike Williams are running for the Democratic nomination.
Web Extra:
Rowland’s district includes part of Murfreesboro and most of Rutherford County west of Interstate 24.
She knocked a Democratic representative out of the seat when she won it, one of the first of the Rutherford County House districts to covert from Democratic to Republican.
Two Republicans have filed to run for the seat she is leaving – Rick Womack and her ex-husband, Preston Rowland.
Womack ran in 2008 in a neighboring district, District 49. Republicans say he owns property in both districts. He lost then to 49th District incumbent Kent Coleman, 15,660 to 14,013.
Rowland says she may run for office again.
“I did not rule out running in the future for elected office again. I have enjoyed my service as an elected official for Rutherford County, and if given the opportunity again, I would definitely consider it.”
Rowland has been controversial during the current session for two purposes:
After she won re-election in November 2008 over Democrat Rishi K. Saxena, her opponent filed a complaint against her claiming she was living outside her district. The issue was eventually settled in her favor, but not without a partisan argument.
And during the current session, she determined that she would no longer vote for “memorializing” resolutions honoring various Tennesseans, saying it cost too much to print the resolutions to be presented to the honorees.
Her stand created a number of cases where resolutions honoring people for good works had one “no” vote.
But her leave-taking was diplomatic.
“What I take from this is – more than I could have ever imagined. It has truly been a blessing to be down here, and this decision was bittersweet.”
Of the eight House members stepping down at the end of this term, Rowland is the sixth Republican.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM