In the race for the Tennessee House District 97 seat in Cordova and East Memphis, incumbent Republican John Gillespie is facing off against Democrat Jesse Huseth. Gillespie, who has held the seat since 2020, is campaigning on a platform focused on “fighting crime” and has received endorsements from the Memphis Police Association for his support of laws imposing harsher penalties for certain crimes. On the other hand, Huseth is a business owner and former educator who is prioritizing increasing per-pupil funding for public schools, building a crime lab for Shelby County, and implementing firearm licensure and safe storage measures.
Huseth has received support from various Democratic officials and organizations, while Gillespie has backing from prominent Republican figures. The candidates have contrasting views on crime, with Gillespie advocating for tougher sentencing laws while Huseth is focused on improving evidence processing and addressing gun violence through legislation on safe storage and permits. Huseth is also opposed to school vouchers and believes in providing proper funding and resources to public schools to improve outcomes for students. Both candidates support expanding career and technical education opportunities in schools, with Huseth advocating for more trade schools and vocational programs.
The upcoming election in District 97 is shaping up to be a contentious battle between Gillespie’s tough-on-crime approach and Huseth’s pragmatic stance on addressing key issues such as education and public safety. Voters will have the opportunity to choose between the two candidates with differing visions for the future of their community.
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