State Representative Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station) will not seek another term as a lawmaker in the state House of Representatives, according to a report from The Tennessee Journal.
The Journal detailed that Sexton informed constituents of his decision at a Grainger County Lincoln Day Dinner.
Redistricting maps, approved by the state legislature and Governor Bill Lee, forced Sexton and GOP counterpart State Representative Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown) into the same district. Therefore, the duo would be required to compete in the August Republican primary in order to hold on to their positions.
Some Democrats in the legislature are facing similar circumstances.
In an interview in early February on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy, the state lawmaker did not hint at a decision to step aside from his position, detailing the need to return to a “representative government.”
“Michael, I’m here to represent the people, and that’s what I do. I’ll take any donations. If you want to give them some, I send them back. But I don’t ask for money. I’m here to represent the people,” Sexton said.
“But we need to get back to a representative government and quit letting the lobbyists and these big organizations take over our state House. And my purpose for being here is to do just that. I want to stand for the people. And when we do that, we get back to a representative government.”
When discussing the prospect of competing against Representative Eldridge, Sexton said that he “wants to serve.”
“Everyone knows that. I’ve been a fighter my whole life, and I don’t mind doing that. Rick and I are friends and he wants to serve just like I do. So we’ll see what happens,” Sexton said on the program.
The legislator was first elected to the position in 2014.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
