Tennessee State Senator and conservative Republican candidate for Governor Mae Beavers has announced that she will resign her seat in the legislature effective Friday, Sept. 1, at noon to focus on her race for governor.
She also disclosed key additions to her gubernatorial campaign team.
“It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing that next Wednesday (August 30th) at noon, I plan to deliver a letter to Governor Bill Haslam and Lt. Governor Randy McNally informing them that I am resigning from the State Senate,” Senator Beavers said. “My travels across our state to campaign for Governor should not deprive the taxpayers of the 17th Senatorial District of the devoted and consistent conservative representation they have come to expect.” By resigning now, a special election can take place later this year and ensure that the 17th District has a “fully focused representative in place the day that session begins,” she said.
Since 2003, Senator Beavers has represented the 17th District, composed of Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Macon, Smith, and Wilson (and previously Sumner and Trousdale) counties. Previously, she represented Wilson County as county commissioner from 1990-1994 and then as a state representative from 1994 through 2002.
Her campaign said that Senator Beavers "has consistently been recognized as one of the most conservative and effective legislators throughout her public service. She also received the most statewide votes as delegate for President Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary and was chosen as Tennessee Delegation Chairman by her fellow delegates to the Republican National Convention."
She said, “It has been a honor to serve in the Tennessee Senate for almost 15 years. It is therefore with a heavy heart, but also with great excitement, that I resign my Senate seat and look forward to a new phase in my campaign to be Tennessee’s next Governor. I have always taken my duties in the state legislature extremely seriously, and I have concluded that it is simply not possible for anyone to run a statewide grassroots campaign while effectively serving during legislative session.”
She also announced key additions to her campaign organization saying, “I’ve been blessed to be able to assemble a top-tier team of conservative talent.”
Emerging Horizon Group will helm the campaign as general consultant. The group’s principal, Mike Shirley, has worked with the National Rifle Association, the Republican National Committee, Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign, Gov. Rick Scott of Florida, and Dr. Kelli Ward’s closely watched primary challenge against John McCain in 2016. Stephen Sebastian, who most recently worked with former South Carolina Governor and now Congressman Mark Sanford, will serve as lead consultant on the race.
Osborne, Shell, & Miller Advertising, which will coordinate messaging and advertising for Beavers, has run more than 100 political campaigns in Northeast Tennessee including Congressman Phil Roe’s historic upset victory in 2008, the first time in 58 years an incumbent congressman had been toppled in a Tennessee primary. Heavily outspent, Roe overcame a 43 point deficit in the polls in the final 5 weeks of the campaign to become the 1st District’s sole successful primary challenger since 1930 who had not previously held the seat.
The Hines Digital team will handle online fundraising, advertising, organizing, and social media. Hines’ clients have included Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign, the Young Republicans National Committee, Young Americans for Liberty, and the Republican parties of California, Florida, Maryland, and Wyoming, Theresa May’s campaign for Prime Minister, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Before becoming a Republican, Hines helped develop Howard Dean’s pioneering digital strategy in the 2004 presidential race.
Capital Square Funding Group, whose team members have worked with Ron Paul, Chris McDaniel, Ted Cruz, and Roy Moore in various capacities, will be assisting Beavers with fundraising.
“Senator Beavers’ time in public service has been marked by dignity and decency and quiet but unwavering determination,” Mr. Sebastian said. “We’re confident that her concrete convictions and amazing accomplishments will cut through the avalanche of slick campaign season rhetoric and attract the kind of conservative firepower we’ll need to win.”
Senator Beavers concluded, “We’re running a grassroots, citizen-powered campaign to hold the line for Tennessee’s future, and it’s resonating because of my record. There are more than enough conservative voters to elect a conservative Republican statewide for the first time in Tennessee’s history.”