Ferrell Haile
Sumner County’s conservative rebellion has now reached the desk of Ferrell Haile, Gallatin’s mild-mannered senior Republican once again seeking his party’s nomination in state Senate District 18. The Sumner County Constitutional Republicans — a further-right splinter organization not to be confused with the Republican Party of Sumner County or the Sumner County Freedom Caucus — have tapped into anti-transgender hate, Christian nationalism and lingering anger about COVID-19 mandates to fuel a primary run for once-failed local candidate Chris Spencer.
Spencer courted endorsements from popular far-right avatars Lee Beaman, Riley Gaines and John Rich and has filled social media with attacks on Haile’s Senate record. A pithy hashtag (#HaileNo) and a dedicated website — which falsely claims that Haile supports forced vaccinations, wants pornography in schools and votes “against the Bible” — reflect Spencer’s experience and comfort with conservative clickbait.
Chris Spencer
Haile, a well-known figure with relationships across his district, has not shown the modern media chops to run a comparably dirty communications campaign. Earnest posts, like a July 6 endorsement video with Gov. Bill Lee, show off Haile’s belief that traditional markers of political strength will outweigh memes and spin. They also inspire a posting barrage from Spencer’s online army, who show up in the comments to call Lee and Haile “RINOs” and redirect viewers to pro-Spencer propaganda.
“He is strong on keeping Tennesseans safe, he is strong on making sure the family is protected in this state, and he will work together with me to make sure parents have education freedom for their children,” Lee says, standing side by side with Haile in a wood-paneled room. “This is a man we need to keep in the Senate.”
While Haile functions loyally within the state’s Republican supermajority, he has at times tried to push for legislation that would allow exceptions to the state’s abortion ban and create pathways to medical marijuana; he’s also broken from the party when it comes to lax gun laws on at least one occasion. Nuanced legislation, along with an eager challenger obsessed with social media posting, has provoked a messy primary race fought largely on Facebook and in mailers in which candidates battle over the true meaning of “conservative.”
The Sumner County Constitutional Republicans have built up a strong local network in part by siphoning off interested members from the Republican Party of Sumner County, the traditional party branch. After the SCCR put several members on the Sumner County Commission and school board (who have in turn endorsed Spencer), local backlash appeared to stem the group’s rise this year — thanks in part to the rival Sumner County Freedom Caucus, which formed as a mitigating conservative alternative. Spencer, who tied up the Sumner County Fire Department in litigation after he lost a 2018 bid for Hendersonville alderman, has proven he won’t go away easily. Spencer is by far his own biggest supporter, having sunk $64,357 into his run as of June 30.
But likes and comments are one thing; votes are another.
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