When Bill Lee drove a tractor through tiny Eagleville last October, hardly anyone noticed. Only a handful of supporters milled around in the parking lot of the Farmers Co-op in southwest Rutherford County that morning where Lee spent a few minutes talking to people inside the store before emerging to ride to another town as part of a statewide tour, a precursor to an RV ride he would take later in the Republican primary race.

2. Hard To Find an ‘Adult In The Room’ in This Year’s Ads - Thursday, August 2, 2018

Television executives, ad reps and political consultants will hate to see this governor’s primary race end. But they can take solace from all the pain they’ve helped dole out while dining on caviar and grilled halibut while in the Caribbean Islands this fall, if they like fish eggs.

3. Republican Reeves Wins Special Election to Tennessee Senate - Thursday, March 15, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Republican Shane Reeves has won a special election to fill a vacant seat in the Tennessee Senate.

4. What’s Best for State, Education or Punishment? - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Carlos Reyes, a graduate of Murfreesboro Oakland High School’s Class of 2017, would be in his second semester at MTSU majoring in business administration – if he could afford it.

5. Reeves Wins GOP Special Election Primary in Tennessee Senate - Monday, January 29, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Small-business owner Shane Reeves has topped former state Rep. Joe Carr in the Republican primary of a Tennessee Senate special election.

6. Last Word: Eureka Education, Confederate Monuments in Court and Dillon Brooks - Friday, January 26, 2018

Supermarkets are hard. That is the tag line in every discussion about getting a supermarket or grocery store for a given part of town that doesn’t have one. And once a new supermarket goes up somewhere else, there is inevitably word that a competitor or two is going to build nearby. The discussion always includes the mandatory recitation of the 3 to 4 percent profit margin stores operate on, which even knowledgeable critics of the decisions about where to locate and not to locate stores acknowledge is accurate.

7. Peyton Manning Rules Out Run for Corker's Senate Seat - Thursday, September 28, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Football star Peyton Manning ruled out a bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Bob Corker, saying in a sports radio interview on Wednesday that he is giving "zero consideration" to running.

8. Tennessee Sen. Corker Meets With Trump Following Spat - Monday, September 18, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Republican Bob Corker, who has yet to say whether he will seek a third term representing Tennessee in the U.S. Senate next year, met with President Donald Trump on Friday for the first time since their public spat.

9. Activist Announces Bid for Corker's Tennessee Senate Seat - Friday, September 15, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Conservative activist Andy Ogles announced Thursday he will run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, who has so far refused to divulge whether he will seek a third term.

10. Corker's Careful Balancing Act on Trump Knocked Off Kilter - Friday, August 25, 2017

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Sen. Bob Corker refuses to say whether he'll seek a third term, but he has carefully said and done all the right things to avoid provoking a spirited primary challenge next year.

11. Season 3: Time for QB Mariota To Become a Star - Friday, August 25, 2017

If Year 1 was a good start and Year 2 was another step in the right direction, what should we expect of Marcus Mariota in Year 3?

How about a playoff berth for the team he quarterbacks.

Granted, there are many other factors in play that will determine the success, failure or return to mediocrity of the Titans in 2017. Has the defensive backfield been successfully retooled? Can the offensive line remain one of the best in the NFL? Will the additions at wide receiver pay the expected dividends?

12. A Million Reasons Not to Jump Into the Tennessee Governor’s Race - Thursday, August 10, 2017

Republican gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers is banking on the idea wealthy candidates won’t be able to buy voters in 2018.

13. Gas Tax, Health Care Complicate Tennessee Governor's Race - Monday, April 17, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The repeal of former President Barack Obama's health care law was supposed to provide a springboard for U.S. Rep. Diane Black's entry into the Tennessee governor's race.

14. Last Word: Binghampton Gateway, Beale's Baggage and SoundStage Memphis - Thursday, February 23, 2017

You’ve seen stories here about how difficult it can be to assemble land and financing for a hotel project. Supermarkets have proven much more difficult to pull off at least in Memphis where food deserts are a problem in several parts of town.

15. Joe Carr Won't Rule Out Bid for Tennessee Governor - Thursday, February 23, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Former state Rep. Joe Carr, who lost Republican primary challenges for congressional seats in the last two election cycles, is mulling a bid for governor next year.

16. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some of Those Who Died in 2016 - Monday, January 2, 2017

Death claimed transcendent political figures in 2016, including Cuba's revolutionary leader and Thailand's longtime king, but also took away royals of a different sort: kings of pop music, from Prince and David Bowie to George Michael.

17. November 4-10, 2016: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, November 5, 2016

2005: Baptist Memorial Hospital comes down in a controlled demolition in which the four wings of the 18-story, 924,000-square-foot reinforced concrete hospital building collapse in a heap of rubble 49 years after the original two wings opened to the public. The other two wings of the structure were added in 1966. Also demolished earlier as part of the project was the adjoining Physicians and Surgeons Building, which had been built in 1912 as the original Baptist Hospital.

18. At Least 7 Lawmakers Had Financial Ties to GOP Donor Miller - Monday, October 31, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – At least seven current and former Republican lawmakers in Tennessee had financial ties to a prominent GOP donor who recently settled a federal fraud case involving the military health care program.

19. Tennessee Lawmakers Not Required to Report Foreign Travel - Wednesday, September 21, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Six Tennessee state lawmakers who received an expense-paid trip to Europe did not have to report it under state campaign finance laws because the donor is not a registered lobbyist.

20. The Fading Accuracy of Political Polling - Thursday, September 8, 2016

Joe Carr says he couldn’t believe the deficit when U.S. Rep. Diane Black trounced him in the August election to recapture Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District seat.

21. Kustoff Claims 8th GOP Primary, Todd Upset by Lovell, Jenkins Over Newsom - Friday, August 5, 2016

Former U.S. Attorney David Kustoff claimed the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 8th Congressional district Thursday, Aug. 4, in a 15-county contest in which the eastern parts of Shelby County played a decisive role.

22. Dark Money Ads Surface in 8th District Primary - Monday, July 25, 2016

As Republicans were either at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland or watching it on TV last week, “dark money” entered the crowded Republican primary for Tennessee’s 8th Congressional district.

23. Schism Among State Republicans Hits Critical Point With Resignation - Thursday, July 14, 2016

A rift within the Tennessee Republican Party, whether a tempest in a teapot or the early signs of implosion, isn’t likely to hit the big tent party hard at the polls this fall.

But make no mistake, there is some trouble in paradise.

24. The Rest of the August Ballot - Saturday, July 9, 2016

If all goes according to plan on the Aug. 4 election day, Linda Phillips hopes the result is that you don’t see her in any of the reporting on election night.

25. GOP Fractures Ruin Reagan Day Fundraiser in Tennessee - Wednesday, May 11, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Reagan Day fundraisers have been a staple of GOP politics ever since the Great Communicator made a point of promoting the 11th Commandment – thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican. But in the conservative suburbs east of Nashville, the event has become too poisonous to be held this year.

26. Gov. Haslam Takes Issue With Trump on Immigration, Abortion - Friday, March 4, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said Wednesday that Donald Trump would need to make major policy changes before he could consider supporting the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.

27. Piano-Playing Senator's Latest Tune: New Education Policy - Tuesday, July 7, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) – How does a musician-senator fill the time during yet another partisan Senate stalemate?

In Sen. Lamar Alexander's case, he sits down at a borrowed piano in his Capitol Hill office and, with a grin, bangs out "The Memphis Blues."

28. Southern Heritage Defined Differently Across Tennessee - Thursday, July 2, 2015

Tennessee’s loyalty was divided in the Civil War, and 150 years later, little is changed as the debate over Confederate symbols arises in the wake of the racist-fueled South Carolina church massacre.

29. Baker Book Traces Conciliatory Political Philosophy - Saturday, April 25, 2015

Long before his death last June, former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker of Tennessee was aware that other Republicans, including those who worked in his groundbreaking campaigns of the 1960s and 1970s, believed it was no longer possible for a political moderate like him to get elected in Tennessee.

30. State Rep. Mary Littleton to Run for Tennessee GOP Chairwoman - Tuesday, March 31, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – State Rep. Mary Littleton is joining the race to become the next chair of the Tennessee Republican Party.

31. The Other Fellow - Friday, January 16, 2015

Long before his death last year, former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker of Tennessee was aware that other Republicans, including those who worked in his groundbreaking campaigns of the 1960s and 1970s, believed it was no longer possible for a political moderate like him to get elected in Tennessee.

32. After the Campaign - Saturday, November 22, 2014

The 2014 election year began in January with dissent from the floor.

At the end of the Shelby County Democratic Party’s annual Kennedy Day fundraiser in January, former Memphis City Council member and state Rep. Carol Chumney, who was not among the speakers, challenged the party establishment from her table to do more to support women running for office.

33. Carr to Challenge Devaney for Tennessee GOP Chair - Wednesday, November 12, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Former state Rep. Joe Carr, who mounted a tea party-styled primary campaign against U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, says he is running for chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.

34. Carr Mulling Bid for Chairman of Tennessee GOP - Tuesday, November 11, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Former state Rep. Joe Carr, who in August won 41 percent of the vote in his primary challenge of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, says he is mulling a bid for chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.

35. Alexander vs. Ball - Saturday, October 25, 2014

Lamar Alexander and Gordon Ball were on the same campaign trail but different races at about this time 36 years ago.

36. Alexander's Spending on Re-Election Bid Tops $8 Million - Tuesday, October 21, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Lamar Alexander's campaign spending in his bid to represent Tennessee in U.S. Senate for a third term now tops $8 million. By comparison, the former governor and two-time presidential candidate spent $4.5 million on his entire Senate bid in 2008.

37. Sen. Alexander Sheds Feel-Good Image in Tennessee Race - Friday, October 10, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Forget the syrupy, feel-good message so common to Lamar Alexander's past political campaigns. This time, the Tennessee Republican is going into attack mode.

With early voting in the U.S. Senate race set to kick off next week, the two-term incumbent has unleashed two television ads hammering his previously little-known Democratic opponent, Gordon Ball, as a proxy for President Barack Obama and as a "slick-talking personal injury lawyer."

38. Alexander, Ball to Debate at Candidate Forum - Saturday, September 20, 2014

Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and his Democratic challenger Gordon Ball will share the same stage Oct. 16 at the Tennessee Farm Bureau candidate forum in Cookeville, Tenn.

39. Alexander, Ball to Debate at Candidate Forum - Friday, September 19, 2014

Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and his Democratic challenger Gordon Ball will share the same stage Oct. 16 at the Tennessee Farm Bureau candidate forum in Cookeville, Tenn.

40. Ball Targets Carr's Tea Party Supporters - Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Gordon Ball, the Democratic challenger to Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, is basing his uphill challenge of Alexander on his specific definition of being a moderate Democrat and where that intersects with tea party followers.

41. County Leaders Make Transition to Governing - Friday, August 29, 2014

For government officials, the oath of office marks the boundary between the ability to get elected and the ability to govern.

But it’s not always apparent to those taking the oath what they have gotten themselves into.

42. Tennessee Lawmaker Calls Haslam ‘Traitor’ to GOP - Wednesday, August 27, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – A Republican state lawmaker on Tuesday called Gov. Bill Haslam a "traitor to the party" over what he called efforts by a political action committee run by supporters to defeat opponents of Common Core education standards.

43. Tennessee's Corker Won't Rule Out Presidential Bid - Thursday, August 14, 2014

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker said Wednesday he isn't ruling out joining the field of Republicans running for president in 2016, but any decision would wait until next year.

44. Cohen Prevails, Incumbents Dominate - Friday, August 8, 2014

Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen held off Thursday, Aug. 7, the most serious electoral challenge he’s faced since winning the Congressional seat in 2006, in the form of attorney Ricky E. Wilkins.

45. Cohen, Luttrell, Weirich, Harris Take Early Vote - Friday, August 8, 2014

Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen has taken the early vote over challenger Ricky Wilkins in the hard fought Democratic Congressional primary on Thursday’s Shelby County election ballot.

46. Alexander Looks to Fend Off Tennessee GOP Challengers - Thursday, August 7, 2014

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. (AP) – After losing his first bid for Tennessee governor 40 years ago, Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander shed his blue suit and buttoned-up appearance for a plaid shirt, hiking boots and a 1,000-mile walk around the state.

47. Haslam, Alexander Look to Boost Republican Turnout - Wednesday, August 6, 2014

U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher remembers the first time that he talked with U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander.

Fincher had been elected to Congress long enough to have made several votes after a 2008 campaign in which he touted his conservative values and stances. And in the process, Fincher admitted to Alexander that he had been critical of Alexander’s voting record during the campaign.

48. Republicans Rally In Bartlett - Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam told a group of several hundred Republicans in Bartlett Monday, Aug. 4, that he would like to see a statewide turnout in the August Republican primaries of 750,000.

Haslam and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander have been on a statewide bus tour since last week to pump up overall Republican turnout even as they face opposition in the GOP primaries for governor and the U.S. Senate. The goal is to also boost the turnout for Republican candidates in local general election races on the ballot.

49. Senate Candidate Gives Loan to Prominent Supporter - Friday, July 18, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – The campaign of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe Carr has loaned $200,000 to the company of a prominent supporter in an unusual arrangement that has drawn the attention of the Federal Election Commission.

50. ‘Big Ballot’ Moves to Early Voting Friday - Friday, July 18, 2014

Voters begin making their decisions Friday, July 18, on the longest ballot of any election cycle in Shelby County politics.

Early voting in advance of the Aug. 7 election day begins Friday at the Shelby County Election Commission’s Downtown offices, 157 Poplar Ave., from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

51. Alexander Raises More Than $900,000, Launches New Ad - Thursday, July 3, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander has raised more than $900,000 in the second quarter and has more than $3.4 million on hand in the final weeks before the primary.

Alexander's campaign is also launching a new television ad stressing the senator's opposition to President Barack Obama's health care law.

52. Lamar Alexander Shows Little Interest in Debates - Tuesday, July 1, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – Lamar Alexander showed little interest Monday in taking up challenger Joe Carr's call for a debate in advance of the Republican Senate primary in August.

53. GOP Lawmakers Demand Education Chief's Resignation - Monday, June 23, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – Gov. Bill Haslam's office is dismissing as a "political stunt" a letter signed by 15 Republican lawmakers demanding the resignation of Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman.

54. U.S. Senate Primaries Feature Different Realities - Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The statewide primary races for U.S. Senate on the August ballot feature the longest and best-known political back story in Tennessee politics and competing realities about what it takes for Democrats to end their shutout in statewide offices.

55. August’s ‘Big Ballot’ Awaits County’s Voters - Wednesday, May 7, 2014

With the unofficial results in the Shelby County primary elections in, get ready for the “big ballot.”

The candidates who won the Democratic and Republican primaries in Tuesday’s elections advance to the August ballot where they will join a much larger group of candidates and races that once every eight years produce the largest ballot of any election cycle in Shelby County politics.

56. House Passes Haslam Free Tuition Plan - Thursday, April 17, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – Gov. Bill Haslam's signature proposal to create a program that would cover tuition at two-year colleges for any high school graduate is headed to his desk after passing the House on Tuesday.

57. Haslam Unveils $1.5B Transportation Plan - Saturday, April 12, 2014

Gov. Bill Haslam and Transportation Commissioner John Schroer have released the state’s three-year, $1.5 billion transportation program.

The Haslam administration said the plan unveiled Thursday takes a conservative approach because of uncertainty over future federal transit funding. It contains no money to pay for early engineering work on new projects.

58. Alexander has $3.1 Million for Senate Campaign - Monday, April 7, 2014

Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander raised $614,000 in the first quarter, leaving him with $3.1 million on hand for his bid for a third term.

Alexander said he received formal notification on Thursday that he has qualified for the Aug. 7 primary. His eight opponents in the GOP nomination contest include state Rep. Joe Carr of Murfreesboro and former Shelby County Commissioner George Flinn.

59. Harris Files Ford Challenge at Deadline - Thursday, April 3, 2014

Memphis City Council member Lee Harris is challenging Democratic state Sen. Ophelia Ford in the August primary for District 29, the Senate seat held by a member of the Ford family since 1975.

60. Common Core Spawns Widespread Political Fights - Tuesday, March 25, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — More than five years after U.S. governors began a bipartisan effort to set new standards in American schools, the Common Core initiative has morphed into a political tempest fueling division among Republicans.

61. Jeb Bush: Follow Through on Common Core Standards - Friday, March 21, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Wednesday urged state officials to follow through on Common Core education standards despite what he called an "avalanche" of criticism from those who oppose them.

62. Alexander Reports $3.2 Million on Hand for Senate Race - Monday, February 3, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) – U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander's campaign says it raised nearly $770,000 in the fourth quarter and that it ended the year with $3.2 million on hand.

Alexander, a former Tennessee governor, is running for a third term in the Senate. He raised a total of about $4.7 million in 2013, and his minute-long television ads have been in heavy rotation around the state.

63. Hats in the Ring - Friday, January 3, 2014

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will be seeking a second term as governor, and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander will be running for re-election – both starting with the Aug. 7 statewide primaries that open for filing Friday, Jan. 3.

64. Health Care Tactics Split Republican Senate Rivals - Friday, December 27, 2013

ATLANTA (AP) – Republicans who want to regain control of the Senate will first have to do battle among themselves in 2014 primary elections, due largely to differences over how to proceed against the law they deride as "Obamacare."

65. Report: Refugees Net Positive for Tennessee - Saturday, November 16, 2013

A report by the state's Fiscal Review Committee has found that refugees bring in more money to Tennessee than they cost the state in entitlements. But that's not the message some of the lawmakers who asked for the report want to hear.

66. Report Says Refugees a Net Positive for Tennessee - Thursday, November 14, 2013

A report by the state’s Fiscal Review Committee has found that refugees bring in more money to Tennessee than they cost the state in entitlements. But that’s not the message some of the lawmakers who asked for the report want to hear.

67. Current Elections Merge With Future Campaigns - Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The campaigns for elections in 2013 are beginning to overlap with campaigns on the ballot in 2014.

The set of 11 elections in three months ends with the Nov. 21 special general election for state House District 91 and a citywide referendum on a half percent sales tax hike.

68. Carr Raises Just $52,000 for Alexander Challenge - Thursday, October 17, 2013

State Rep. Joe Carr’s campaign says the Republican raised just $52,000 in the first fundraising period of his challenge of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander.

69. Alexander Raises $838,000 in Quarter for Senate Race - Wednesday, October 16, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has raised nearly $838,000 in the third quarter for his re-election bid.

Alexander, who faces a tea party-backed challenge from state Rep. Joe Carr for next year's GOP nomination, has raised $3.9 million since the beginning of the year, and had $2.8 million on hand at the end of the quarter.

70. Group Wants to Oust Tennessee GOP Head - Tuesday, October 1, 2013

A group seeking to deny incumbent U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander another term in office is pushing to oust the head of Tennessee's Republican Party.

The tea party group Beat Lamar demanded last week that Chairman Chris Devaney resign. Beat Lamar says Devaney violated party bylaws by signing a fundraising letter that appeared to assume Alexander would be the GOP nominee in the 2014 general election

71. Carr Brings US Senate Bid to Memphis - Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Republican state Rep. Joe Carr brought his challenge of incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander to Memphis Saturday, Sept. 7, in the latest of a series of closed meetings with tea party partisans that amount to a tea party primary.

72. Carr Makes Campaign Appearance in Memphis Saturday - Saturday, September 7, 2013

Tennessee state Rep. Joe Carr, who is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s bid for re-election, makes his first Memphis campaign appearance Saturday, Sept. 7.

73. Kookogey Abandons GOP Challenge of Sen. Alexander - Friday, September 6, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Tea party activist Kevin Kookogey says he is abandoning plans to run against incumbent U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander in next year's Republican primary.

Kookogey, a former Williamson County Republican Party chairman, tells the Chattanooga Times Free Press that his months-long preparations to challenge Alexander were sidetracked by state Rep. Joe Carr's decision to get into the race two weeks ago.

74. Carr Makes Campaign Appearance in Memphis Saturday - Friday, September 6, 2013

Tennessee state Rep. Joe Carr, who is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s bid for re-election, makes his first Memphis campaign appearance Saturday, Sept. 7.

75. No Surprises for Alexander and GOP Incumbents - Monday, September 2, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Faced with a potentially serious primary challenger, Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander was not about to sit back and wait.

The former two-term governor locked down endorsements, banked more than $3 million and linked arms with popular Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and former GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee. When conservative state Rep. Joe Carr announced he would challenge Alexander, the senator's team was ready.

76. Shelby County to Play Key Role in 2014 State Election - Monday, August 26, 2013

As prospective candidates weigh special election races in the next three months for a state House seat and suburban school boards, there are also signs of life in Shelby County in the statewide races on the 2014 election ballot.

77. Tennessee Legislator to Challenge Alexander - Saturday, August 24, 2013

Sen. Lamar Alexander’s efforts to ward off a primary challenge from the right fell short Tuesday with Tennessee state Rep. Joe Carr’s announcement that he will mount a tea party challenge for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.

78. Huckabee Raising Funds for Alexander Re-Election - Saturday, August 24, 2013

Former Arkansas Gov. and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has joined U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s campaign for re-election in 2014.

Huckabee, who carried Shelby County and Tennessee in the 2008 Republican presidential primary, sent a statewide fundraising letter this week on Alexander’s behalf. The appeal to Tennessee citizens compares Alexander to former President Ronald Reagan.

79. Huckabee Raising Funds for Alexander Re-Election - Friday, August 23, 2013

Former Arkansas Gov. and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has joined U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s campaign for re-election in 2014.

Huckabee, who carried Shelby County and Tennessee in the 2008 Republican presidential primary, sent a statewide fundraising letter this week on Alexander’s behalf.

80. Tennessee Legislator to Challenge Alexander - Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Sen. Lamar Alexander’s efforts to ward off a primary challenge from the right fell short Tuesday with Tennessee state Rep. Joe Carr’s announcement that he will mount a tea party challenge for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.

81. Sheriffs, State Lawmakers Push Back on Gun Control - Friday, January 18, 2013

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – From Oregon to Mississippi, President Barack Obama's proposed ban on new assault weapons and large-capacity magazines struck a nerve among rural lawmen and lawmakers, many of whom vowed to ignore any restrictions – and even try to stop federal officials from enforcing gun policy in their jurisdictions.

82. Evans Joins American Esoteric as Vice President - Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Dr. Jess Evans has joined American Esoteric Laboratories as vice president of technical operations. In his new role, Evans is responsible for instrumentation, personnel, operational performance and quality assurance for the Memphis laboratory.

83. Governor Signs Bill Proving Legality for Benefits - Friday, May 25, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a measure that requires agencies to verify that applicants for public benefits are legal residents.

The legislation – which passed the Senate 29-1 and the House 64-18 – was delayed in the lower chamber last year because the cost of the measure was a little over $1 million. But House sponsor Joe Carr, R-Lascassas, said the tab has been reduced to around $100,000.

84. Bill to OK Legality for Benefits Goes to Governor - Thursday, May 3, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – A proposal that would require agencies to verify that applicants for public benefits are legal residents is headed to the governor for his consideration.

The measure was sent to Gov. Bill Haslam on Tuesday after the Senate voted 29-0 to concur with minor changes made by the House.

85. Bill to Prove Legality for Benefits Passes Senate - Wednesday, May 2, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – A proposal that would require agencies to verify that applicants for public benefits are legal residents has passed the Senate.

The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Jack Johnson of Franklin was approved 29-2 on Monday. The companion bill was to be heard on the House floor later in the day.

86. Lawmakers Discuss Bills to Reduce Tenn. Sales Tax - Thursday, February 2, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – The Republican sponsor of a proposal to reduce the sales tax on groceries in Tennessee said Wednesday he's open to working with Democrats who have a similar measure if it would help the legislation's passage.

87. Commissioners Fail to Approve Redistricting Plan - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Shelby County Commissioners will try again Monday, Dec. 19, to give final approval to a new set of district lines for the 13-member body.

At a special meeting Wednesday, Dec. 14, a new set of district lines that would keep but tweak the current five-district setup won approval on the second of three readings. But it did not appear to have the two-thirds majority – or nine votes – needed to pass next week.

88. Commissioners Fail to Approve Redistricting Plan - Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Shelby County Commissioners will try again Monday, Dec. 19, to give final approval to a new set of district lines for the 13-member body.

At a special meeting Wednesday, Dec. 14, a new set of district lines that would keep but tweak the current five-district setup won approval on the second of three readings. But it did not appear to have the two-thirds majority – or nine votes – needed to pass next week.

89. AP Interview: Haslam Says Not Time for Tax Cuts - Monday, December 12, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – Gov. Bill Haslam says he doesn't plan to eliminate Tennessee's estate tax and Hall income tax despite efforts by several Republican lawmakers to kill the measures because they believe they're hurting the state's economic development.

90. Council Approves Redistricting Plan - Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Memphis City Council members approved a redistricting plan for the council just two days before the filing deadline for the Oct. 6 city elections.

All 13 city council seats are on the ballot as well as citywide races for Memphis Mayor, City Court Clerk and the three city court judges.

91. Sponsor Delays Immigration Bill to Address Cost - Wednesday, May 11, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – The House sponsor of legislation that would allow law enforcement agents in Tennessee to question suspects about their immigration status says he's trying to make the proposal financially feasible.

92. Immigration Bills Delayed in House Panel - Thursday, May 5, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – Two contentious immigration proposals have been delayed in the House Finance Subcommittee.

Both measures sponsored by Republican Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas were put off Wednesday to the committee's last calendar.

93. Immigration Bills Advance in Tenn. House - Thursday, April 14, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – Opponents of a proposal that would allow law enforcement agents in Tennessee to question suspects about their immigration status are concerned it will hurt the state's image.

94. Tenn. House Commends Ariz. on Immigration Law - Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The Tennessee House has passed a resolution congratulating Arizona lawmakers and Gov. Jan Brewer for "their actions to protect their citizens and the borders of our great nation."

95. Tenn. House Passes Bill Targeting Underage Drinking - Friday, May 22, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The House has passed a bill aimed at making it a crime for adults to host parties where alcohol is available to underage drinkers.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas, said current law only applies to youths ages 17 and under, but not those between 18 and 21.

96. Tenn. House Keeps Referendum Option for Distilleries - Thursday, May 21, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The House has voted to keep a county referendum option in place for whether voters want to allow distilleries to be located in their communities.

The bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas passed on a 67-27 vote on Wednesday. It originally sought to automatically allow distilleries in any county that had previously approved liquor sales.

97. Renasant Names Wiegert VP, Mortgage Production Manager - Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Michael Wiegert has been named vice president and mortgage production manager for Renasant Bank in Memphis.

98. Jones Ascends to High-Level Position At Army Corps of Engineers - Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Carol Winfield Jones has been selected as chief, project development branch and assistant to the deputy district engineer for project management for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District.

99. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis Names Byrd Executive Director - Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Caron Byrd has been hired as executive director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. Previously, Byrd served as deputy manager of the Mid-South chapter of the American Red Cross, where she was employed for more than 11 years.

100. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Young Lawyers Division Announces New Board Members

MSO Names New General Manager

Alberto Gutierrez joined Memphis Symphony Orchestra as general manager. Gutierrez previously served as operations manager for the San Antonio Symphony. After grad...