Nashville: Harmon won’t seek reelection to state House, weighs state Senate, county mayor bids

NASHVILLE — State Rep. Bill Harmon, D-Dunlap, announced today he will not seek reelection.

“I’d like to thank all the people in the four counties I represented for the past ten years for the opportunity to serve as their representative,” said Harmon, whose 37th Legislative District includes Sequatchie, Marion, Grundy and Van Buren counties.

Harmon is the latest Democrat to announce he will not seek reelection following the passage of a Republican redistricting plan. Harmon’s home county Sequatchie was placed in the 31st Legislative District held by Rep. Jim Cobb, R-Spring City.

While not running for the House, Harmon is not ruling out running for the Democratic nomination in Senate District 14, which includes all four counties he now represents. He also is considering running for mayor of Sequatchie County, where he once served as county executive.

House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley, said that as a former county official, Harmon “understood the importance of local government and fought hard to keep government close to the people.”

He also said Harmon, who was chairman of the House Transportation Committee when Democrats were in charge, “also led the way on transportation issues, giving Tennessee one of the best road systems in the U.S. and making us a top destination to do business. His leadership on these and many other issues will be missed by everyone.”

Read more in tomorrow’s Times Free Press.