Tennessee’s governor says he wants to ‘minimize the politics’ between the state and Nashville, after a legislative session full of bills targeting the city

Republicans in the General Assembly unhappy with Nashville’s elected leaders made their displeasure known throughout this year’s legislative session. They passed measures to cut Metro Council in half, change the makeup of Nashville’s sports and airport authorities, and disband the community oversight board.

Asked Thursday whether the relationship can be repaired between the city and state, Gov. Bill Lee told reporters he hopes they can forge a better path with whoever succeeds current Mayor John Cooper.

“I look forward to working with the next mayor, whoever that is, to make sure that we keep Nashville one of the most exciting cities in America — keep it moving in that direction and to minimize the politics at play,” Lee said.

A poll released this week by Tennesseans for Student Success shows two current state senators, Heidi Campbell and Jeff Yarbro, both Democrats, atop the more than a dozen candidates vying for the seat. The mayoral election takes place Aug. 3.