Rep. David Byrd
Republican Rep. David Byrd is running for re-election, despite a plea not to from Republican Gov. Bill Lee and a pledge to his fellow GOP lawmakers that he wouldn’t.
Byrd made the announcement in Tuesday’s edition of the Wayne County News. He cited the need for an experienced representative during the coronavirus pandemic.
“For District 71 to have a freshman representative during his crucial time could definitely result in our rural counties being overlooked in future key legislation that could help our constituents rebound from this devastating pandemic,” Byrd said in the statement.
The Waynesboro Republican’s presence in the House has caused protest and tension since WSMV reported in 2018 that three women accused Byrd of sexually abusing them when they were teenage basketball players on a team he coached. The representative never explicitly denied the allegations, and even apologized to one of the players in a recorded phone call.
Then-House Speaker Beth Harwell, also a Republican, asked Byrd to resign, but he refused and easily won re-election later that year. Among his election supporters was Franklin Republican Glen Casada, who would go on to succeed Harwell as speaker and appoint Byrd chairman of an education subcommittee, drawing further protests.
With Byrd’s top protector ousted from power over the summer, Byrd in August told his GOP colleagues that he would not seek re-election, according to a conversation overheard by a Tennessean reporter. Earlier that summer, Lee reportedly asked Byrd not to run again and said it was “past time” that he answer for the allegations.
But the representative never formally announced a decision one way or the other, leading to persistent rumors that he would run again.
His decision comes with just hours to spare before Wednesday’s qualifying deadline for the August primary election. If he does make the ballot, he won’t be the only Republican option. Garry Welch, who served as Savannah city manager for a dozen years, announced his campaign at the start of the year.
Though House GOP Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison is in part tasked with helping incumbents’ re-election efforts, he said earlier this year that he would not personally campaign for Byrd. A caucus committee will decide whether to back the lawmaker, who was first elected in 2014.
“Over the past several months, I have been overwhelmed by the good wishes and requests of hundreds of constituents asking me to continue to serve them in the Tennessee House,” Byrd said.
The feedback, however, has not been universally positive.
Jennifer Watson, an organizer with advocacy group Enough Is Enough, says she is “disappointed but not surprised.”
“The outright support of his fellow House members, coupled with inaction from leaders within the party, have made it abundantly clear that there truly is no bottom when it comes to conduct from our elected officials,” Watson says. “David Byrd is not going away, so neither are we. We look forward to our 2020 organizing efforts holding Byrd and his House peers accountable this November at the ballot box.”
