He's Running: Briley Bid Backed by Big Business

A day after the would-be Wataugans known as the Nashville Business Coalition tried to clear the field for him in the name of continuity — and just two days after he was hurried into the job following Megan Barry's resignation — Mayor David Briley says he'll run for the office in August.

Briley made the announcement during a sit-down with editors and reporters at The Tennessean, and said there wouldn't be any more fuss about it from him.

"It’s not going to be some big political shindig where I roll out a red carpet for myself," Briley said.

No need, anyway. The suits have already done that for him, urging any potential challengers to stay out of the race because "continuity of leadership over the next 18 months is absolutely critical to sustain Nashville’s success." It's worth noting that, for the most part, the Chamber of Commerce types wouldn't touch Briley's mayoral candidacy in 2007. What a difference a decade makes. 

Anyhow, it doesn't look like their effort to make the August special election a mere formality is going to work. At-Large Metro Councilmember Erica Gilmore filed paperwork this week to appoint a treasurer for a possible mayoral run, and a long list of other potential candidates is swirling amid Metro's chattering class. 

The deadline for candidates to qualify for the election likely to be held on Aug. 2 is April 5. The winner of that election will hold the office through what would've been the end of Barry's term in August 2019, then face another election.