As Tennessee’s Republican primary approaches, the push for a universal private school voucher program has seen a significant increase in funding. Pro-voucher groups have poured a record-breaking $4.5 million into 17 Republican state House and Senate primaries, with the School Freedom Fund leading the way with $3.1 million in spending.
Backed by Club for Growth and billionaires Jeff Yass and Richard Uihlein, the Freedom Fund has been a major player in supporting candidates who favor vouchers. Other groups supporting vouchers include Americans for Prosperity, the Tennessee Federation for Children, Tennesseans for Student Success, and TennesseeCan.
Despite having raised almost $16 million since its inception in 2014, Tennesseans for Student Success has virtually no public donors and has been a major spender in the 2022 elections. The group has supported candidates aligned with other pro-voucher groups, with a notable exception being the race between Ray Jeter and Scott Cepicky.
Federation for Children and Americans for Prosperity have been major supporters of Governor Bill Lee’s failed push for a universal school voucher program. These groups have also heavily supported Senate Education Committee chairman Jon Lundberg in a competitive primary against Bobby Harshbarger.
As the final day of the primary approaches, the influence of these pro-voucher groups on Tennessee’s election landscape is clear. The outcome of these races could have significant implications for the future of education policy in the state.
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