NEWS

Democrats' top fundraiser in Tennessee calls for new party chair

Joey Garrison
jgarrison@tennessean.com

Bill Freeman, Tennessee Democrats’ top fundraiser and a possible candidate for governor in 2018, is calling for the Tennessee Democratic Party to bring in a new party chair to replace Mary Mancini after Democrats suffered yet another round of sweeping losses in state legislative races last week.

Bill Freeman

“After a loss like this, I think we’ve got to look at every option, including a new chair,” Freeman told The Tennessean.

“Much like in the NFL if a coach is 0-16, he might be the greatest guy in the world, but we’re all interested in results and this was a terrible failure on the part of all Democrats,” he said. “We’ve got to change direction and find new leadership and a new direction.”

Mancini, a liberal activist from Nashville, has served as chair of the state party for the past two years after replacing former chairman Roy Herron. Her term expires in January, when the Tennessee Democratic Party's Executive Committee will meet to vote on a chair. Mancini confirmed she plans on seeking another two-year term.

“All I can tell you is I’m running for chair again,” Mancini said when asked about Freeman’s comments.

Mary Mancini elected new TN Democratic Party chair

Freeman outlined his criticism in a letter Monday to members of the party's executive committee.

Tennessee Democrats are licking their wounds after watching Republicans expand their supermajority in the House to 74 of the 99 seats following last week's election while holding their commanding 28-5 hold on the state Senate. In the presidential race, Republican Donald Trump finished with more than 61 percent of the vote in Tennessee, eclipsing margins of wins of both Mitt Romney in 2012 and John McCain in 2008.

“We are going to review everything that we’ve done, and we’re going to learn from our successes and from our mistakes and move forward,” Mancini said.

The only Republican incumbent who lost reelection was Rep. Steve McManus, R-Shelby County, who fell to Democrat Dwayne Thompson.

Tennessee Republicans defend, bolster stronghold in statehouse

Mary Mancini is administered the oath of office after her election as chairwoman of the Tennessee Democratic Party in Nashville on Jan. 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)

Tennessee Democrats this year deployed a strategy of recruiting women to run against Republican incumbents in state legislative races. But none of the 20 Democratic women who were part of that effort won in last week's election.

Mancini said she believes the strategy was nonetheless significant for the party because it helped Democrats recruit candidates who she said “were capable, smart and cared about our Democratic values.”

“Nothing is impossible,” she said of Democrats’ chances moving forward in Tennessee. “I think what we have to do is keep building on what we’ve accomplished in the last two years, which is a lot, and then we have have to move forward and take the lessons from this election cycle and learn from them.”

Freeman, a wealthy real estate professional who ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Nashville last year despite an enormous cash advantage, is the state’s top donor for Democrats. He kicked off the election cycle this year by giving a $100,000 check to House Democrats. He contributed individually to Tennessee Democratic candidates and the state party throughout the year.

Bill Freeman gives $100,000 to state Dems

Hillary Clinton’s Nashville fundraiser hauls in $500,000

Freeman also served as a campaign finance bundler for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, which involved hosting multiple fundraisers for Clinton, including one at his Forest Hills home in Nashville. Freeman is currently weighing a Democratic run for governor of Tennessee in 2018 and has said he would likely make a decision by early next year. Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean is considered the other top potential Democratic candidate for governor.

Freeman and other Democrats are already floating a possible candidate to run against Mancini —  Holly McCall, a recent Democratic candidate who lost by a lopsided margin last week to Republican Sam Whitson in the House District 65 race in Williamson County to replace ousted Republican Rep. Jeremy Durham.

Freeman said he would support McCall if she decided to run for the chairman position

“I think she would bring a breath of fresh air, energy, hard-working commitment, and we need to give others an opportunity to serve," said Freeman, who served a brief stint as treasurer of the Tennessee Democratic Party under then-chairman Chip Forrester in 2009.

McCall said she is interested in seeking the chair position but did not offer any criticism of Mancini.

"Just in the last few days, I've had several prominent members of Democratic leadership contact me to express their desire to see me run for state party chair," she said. "I'm honored that they looked at the way I ran my campaign and have reached out to me. I'm interested and I'm going to take the next week or so and mull it over."

Letter to TNDP State Executive Committee

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.

State House candidate Holly McCall, right, talks to Tom Lawrence of WAKM AM-950.