Tennessee: Political committee endorses Murphy

The Southeast Tennessee Political Action Committee said Friday it was endorsing District 9 City Council candidate Peter Murphy in the April 14 runoff election.

The committee made its decision after Mr. Murphy and his opponent, J.T. McDaniel, talked to members at the Table 2 restaurant in downtown Chattanooga.

Both candidates focused on crime and job growth as key issues for the district.

Mr. McDaniel said one area of job growth could be building a distribution center along Amnicola Highway that would utilize both the river and railways that run through the area.

“Chattanooga’s wide open to job growth besides auto manufacturing,” Mr. McDaniel said.

He said he wanted to see the council take on youth initiatives and issues for senior citizens. He also promised to be accountable.

“I plan to hold meetings with my constituents,” he said.

In turn, Mr. Murphy concentrated on how crime needs to be addressed and said he wanted to see more police officers involved within local communities.

He said he could see mentorships with students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as beneficial for Chattanooga youth and helping to decrease gang violence.

He said he also has a vision of seeing Civil War sites in the district revitalized so more tourists would come, specifically mentioning Orchard Knob and the Sherman Reservation at Glass Street.

“What would Glass Street look like with 350,000 visitors a year?” Mr. Murphy asked. “A lot different than it does now.”