Non-partisan

Sumner County

Tennessee Voter Guide – 2022 Primary Races

How To Vote For, Not Against, Your Values

Ratings: Every candidate is considered after thorough research; we also have a questionnaire for candidates to complete, including our Tennessee Taxpayers Protection Pledge.

Our highest ratings go to candidates who will defend freedom, stand for free enterprise, or have a conservative and/or biblical worldview based on their ability to stand firm against efforts to increase taxes, size of government, weaken law and order, and crush individual freedom. Here is our rating system:

• ***** The best candidate. Our strongest endorsement.
• **** Very good.
• *** Acceptable.
• ** Vote only to prevent worse candidate(s) from winning.
• * Terrible. Do Not Vote. All your other votes will count.

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SUMNER COUNTY RATINGS

Tennessee; Sumner County, Governor of Tennessee; Primary Election

Bill Lee, Republican (Incumbent) **** (Endorsed)

Camita Atwater, Democrat *

Jason Martin, Democrat *

JB Smiley Jr., Democrat **

Tennessee; Sumner County, TN House, District 35; Republican Primary

Deanne DeWitt, Republican ***

Joe Kirkpatrick, Republican ****

William Slater, Republican **** (Endorsed)

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Commission, District 2, General Election

Terry Wright, Republican **** (Endorsed)

Charlotte Caudill, Independent **

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Commission, District 6, General Election

David Klein, Republican **** (Endorsed)

Steve Graves, Independent *

Jackie D. Leath, Independent ***

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Commission, District 7, General Election

Danny Sullivan, Republican *** (Endorsed)

Tim Cyr, Independent *

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Commission, District 8, General Election

Baker Ring, Republican **** (Endorsed)

Deborah Alston, Democrat *

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Commission, District 9, General Election

Mary Genung, Republican *** (Endorsed)

Steve Camp, Independent **

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Commission, District 13, General Election

Terri Boyt, Republican **** (Endorsed)

Brenda E. Dotson, Democrat **
 

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Commission, District 14, General Election

Leslie R. Schell, Republican ***

Jamie Teachenor (write-in) **** (Endorsed)

Tennessee; Sumner County, County Mayor, General Election

John C. Isbell, Republican ****

Gregory N. Arias, Independent **** (Endorsed)

Tennessee; Sumner County, School Board, District 3, General Election

Allen Lancaster, Republican *** (Endorsed)

Hilary Nimmo Lounder, Democrat *

Tennessee; Sumner County, School Board, District 9, General Election

Patricia H. Brown, Republican ***

Roxie E. Kelsey, Democrat *

Josh Graham (write-in) *** (Endorsed)

Tennessee; Sumner County, School Board, District 11, General Election

Andy Lacy, Republican **** (Endorsed)

David Thomas Wilkerson, Independent *

JUDICIAL RATINGS

Judges sitting on the courts may be incompetent, corrupt or lazy. Even worse, many are political opportunists with a political agenda.

There are two types of judges: judicial activists and strict constructionists. A judicial activist legislates from the bench. Instead of strictly interpreting law, these judges make the laws. Instead of applying the law to facts, they rule based on their own values.

Judicial activists overturn voter-passed initiatives and laws passed by the state legislature because they personally have a different belief system, twist the law to rationalize their decisions, and impose their own moral codes, political beliefs, and secular values in an effort to reshape our society and promote social engineering.

Strict constructionists impartially arrive at a fair judgment based on law.

Judicial activists are usually more liberal; strict constructionists are usually more conservative.

HOW WE COME UP WITH A FINAL RATING

We come up with a final rating by taking the average of the candidate’s Judicial Index and Qualifications. For example, if the candidate had a Judicial Index of 8 and Qualifications of 6, their overall rating would be 7.

Rating

Judges are rated on a scale of 1-5 — 5 being best.

5 Stars – The best candidate. Our strongest endorsement
4 Stars – Very good
3 Stars – Acceptable
2 Stars – Vote only to prevent worse candidate(s) from winning
1 Star – Terrible. Do Not Vote, Unless We Say Endorsed. All Other Votes Will Count

Tennessee; Sumner County, General Sessions Judge, Division I, General Election

Ron Blanton, Republican **** (Endorsed)

Tyler Templeton, Independent ***

Tennessee; Supreme Court, Judicial Retention, At Large, General Election

Sarah K. Campbell ***** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Supreme Court, Judicial Retention, At Large, General Election

Holly Kirby **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Supreme Court, Judicial Retention, At Large, General Election

Sharon Gail Lee ** (Recommend Vote to Replace)

Tennessee; Supreme Court, Judicial Retention, At Large, General Election

Roger A. Page **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Tennessee Supreme Court, Judicial Retention, At Large, General Election

Jeffrey S. Bivins *** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Middle Division, General Election

Jill Bartee Ayers **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Eastern Division, General Election

James C. Witt, Jr. **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Middle Division, General Election

Timothy L. Easter **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Middle Division, General Election

Robert L. Holloway *** (Recommend Vote to Replace)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Middle Division, General Election

Robert W. Wedemeyer ** (Recommend Vote to Replace)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

John W. Campbell, Sr. **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

John Everett Williams **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

J. Ross Dyer **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Criminal Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

Camille McMullen ** (Recommend Vote to Replace)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Eastern Division, General Election

Kristi Davis ***** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Eastern Division, General Election

Thomas R. “Skip” Frierson *** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Eastern Division, General Election

John W. McClarty * (Recommend Vote to Replace)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Eastern Division, General Election

Robert H. Montgomery, Jr. **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Eastern Division, General Election

Mike Swiney **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Middle Division, General Election

Andy Bennett ** (Recommend Vote to Replace)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Middle Division, General Election

Frank Clement * (Recommend Vote to Replace)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Middle Division, General Election

Neal McBrayer **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

Kenny W. Armstrong *** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

Arnold B. Goldin *** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

Carma Dennis McGee **** (Recommend a Retain Vote)

Tennessee; Court of Appeals, Judicial Retention, Western Division, General Election

Steve Stafford * (Recommend Vote to Replace)