U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) endorsed Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron in his campaign for re-election to the position.
Ketron is in a tight race against former Tennessee State Representative Joe Carr and current District 11 County Commissioner Rhonda Allen.
“Mayor Ketron and I worked together in President Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign when I served as Trump Tennessee Victory Chairman and Bill served as a delegate for President Trump to our national convention. I have a deep admiration for his strength and courage as he overcame cancer, and I’ve seen his effective conservative leadership as Mayor of Rutherford County. Mayor Ketron has my full endorsement,” Hagerty said in an emailed release
Notably, Hagerty opted to endorse Ketron despite his campaign finance controversies. Previously, State auditors found hundreds of thousands of dollars missing from multiple campaign accounts. In order to address the breaches, he paid $135,000 for the campaign law violations. Additionally, his daughter, Kelsey Ketron, served as campaign treasurer during a period when funds were unaccounted for.
The endorsement also follows recent polling that placed Ketron behind Joe Carr. According to a survey of Rutherford County residents, 31.7 percent would vote for Carr, compared to only 15.6 percent that would re-elect Mayor Ketron. An additional 11.3 percent support District 11 County Commissioner Allen.
An overwhelming number of respondents said it was important to restore ethical and lawful leadership to the county.
“I’ve worked with Senator Hagerty in many capacities over the years, and his support means so much to me as I seek to continue serving the good people of Rutherford County,” responded Mayor Ketron. “Bill is making us proud in the Senate, and together we will keep fighting for our conservative values and for the people we serve. I’m grateful to have his support.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Background Photo “Rutherford County Courthouse” by BrentandMariLynn. CC BY 2.0.
