Five challengers for Middle Tennessee’s four congressional seats — and none of the Republican incumbents — talked policy and plans in a Nashville church Sunday night.
Held in Greater Bethel AME Church, the “candidate showdown” was hosted by faith-based social justice organization Nashville Organized for Action and Hope, commonly called NOAH.
The four Democrats and one independent candidate answered questions about health care, voting rights, gun violence, education and the environment during the event, often garnering applause from the more than 130 people in attendance. Near the altar below the stage where candidates were seated, NOAH left four empty chairs and pasted to them slips of paper with the names of the candidates who did not attend.
The Rev. Kelli X, pastor of The Village Church, said NOAH sent invitations to all candidates, including the Republican incumbents, by mail, email, phone and web form. A NOAH spokesperson said the organization sent all candidates the questions in advance.
Here's who attended:
- Victoria Broderick, Democratic candidate for Tennessee's 4th Congressional District
- Maryam Abolfazli, Democratic candidate for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District
- Yomi Faparusi, independent candidate for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District
- Lore Bergman, Democratic candidate for Tennessee's 6th Congressional District
- Megan Barry, Democratic candidate for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District
Candidates support stronger gun regulations
All five candidates came with ideas and proposals aimed at reducing gun violence. Faparusi said work needs to be done to block “loopholes” in America’s gun laws, including for purchasing guns online or at gun shows.
“We need to block all these loopholes, and we need to seriously implement the mental health screening," Faparusi said.
Abolfazli said she entered the race because of gun violence. She said she would focus her decision-making on what children need.
“I want you to know that I will not focus on me and my fears or my needs or yours, but the children,” Abolfazli said. “Their mental health and their innocence must be protected, and they’ve got to go to school not scared.”
Candidates hope to ensure access to abortion, other health care services
When asked about reproductive health care and Tennessee’s striking maternal mortality rate, the candidates all said they are in favor of passing legislation to codify a person’s ability to legally receive an abortion.
They proposed other policies to improve maternal health, including the “Momnibus Act,” a 13-bill package to invest in the drivers of maternal mortality that Barry said she would fully support.
Bergman said the state needs to expand Medicare and Medicaid but also that she thinks the U.S. should pass legislation to insure all Americans have insurance.
"Everyone deserves insurance. It's time," Bergman said. "Canada has it, Europe has it. Come on, America, let's get with it."
Candidates support Freedom to Vote Act, Broderick says Tennessee ‘first in voter suppression’
Tennessee keeps a larger share of its population from voting than any other state. Not surprisingly, the candidates took issue with that and called for several solutions, including passing the Freedom to Vote Act , which would restore the right to vote for those with felony convictions who are no longer incarcerated.
“I walked into my … election commission and I saw … ‘Tennessee is number one in voter integrity,’ and all I could think was, ‘Oh, no, we're number one in voter suppression,’” Broderick said.
Barry, others, warn of potential consequences of Project 2025
Throughout the event, Barry called for attendees to vote for Kamala Harris for president to avoid the implementation of Project 2025, a political playbook for the Republican Party created by the Heritage Foundation and dozens of other conservative groups that restructures federal agencies to expand presidential power and calls for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education .
Barry and Bergman warned about the implications Project 2025 could have on conserving Tennessee’s waters and wetlands by weakening the Environmental Protection Agency .
Attendees hoped for unity, disappointed Republicans didn’t show
Yvette Young, who attends Greater Bethel AME Church, the site of the event, said ahead of the event that she was looking forward to hearing the candidates talk about policies, and in particular about voting rights.
“I'm hoping that there is some positive things that come out of here, versus a lot of the divisiveness that I see on TV, especially from one side of the political coin,” Young said.
Deborah Howard, who also goes to the church and attended Sunday night’s event, said she was disappointed the Republican candidates for the four districts didn’t show up.
“Being an African American, I believe (candidates not attending) really does send a message,” Howard said.
Deborah Howard and her husband, Kenneth Howard, said they were shocked at some of the things they learned throughout the forum but still found the candidates’ responses encouraging.
“It was encouraging,” Deborah Howard said. “I just hope it’s true.”
E van Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMe a lins .
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Middle TN Democrats, independent vying for Congress talk policy; Republicans absent
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