The Tennessean reports that there’s already a list of people considering a run for the House District 51 seat that House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner is leaving. It’s a strongly Democratic seat.
Several young Democrats from the East Nashville and Germantown areas quickly expressed interest in succeeding Turner, though none of them were ready to commit to a race just yet. Democratic officials said they think the district is safely in their party’s column after President Barack Obama won it handily in 2012, when Turner ran unopposed.
Among the potential candidates are Metro Councilman Anthony Davis; Zak Kelley, senior policy advisor to state Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, the House Democratic leader; Wade Munday, treasurer of the Tennessee Democratic Party; software developer Freddie O’Connell; Tennessee Health Department procurement officer Eric Richardson, a former soldier who was wounded in Afghanistan; and former Tennessee Democratic Party executive director Jennifer Buck Wallace, now the Tennessee development director for Organizing for Action.
Meanwhile, a Turner campaign for mayor could bring a strong pro-labor voice to that race, which is likely to be crowded with candidates seeking to succeed Mayor Karl Dean, who took office in 2007.
“I am going to look at that,” he said. “That’s a little ways off yet, but I’m interested.”