Brock BenningtonDEMOCRATSName: Brock BenningtonAge: 42Education: Graduate of Central High; attended Cleveland State Community College and UTC.Occupation: Private investigator for a local law firm.Issues: Supporting public education, promoting District 30 economic development, reining in payday-loan companies.Name: Sandy SmithAge: 65Education: University of Chattanooga and UTC graduate.Occupation: Retired special education teacher.Issues: Supporting public education, District 30 economic development, implementing state “living wage” requirement.Name: Brian WhiteAge: 43Occupation: Caregiver for family member.Issues: Fighting “blight” along Ringgold Road, promoting economic development, erecting sound barriers along Interstate 24 bordering East Ridge.
NASHVILLE — Democrats running in their party’s state House District 30 primary say they’re in the contest in part because of concerns over where the Republican-led General Assembly is taking Tennessee.
Brock Bennington, Sandy Smith and Brian White of East Ridge are vying for their party’s nomination in the Aug. 2 primary. They acknowledge that whoever wins will face an uphill fight to unseat Republican Rep. Vince Dean, also of East Ridge, in November.
Bennington and Smith said they decided to run when it appeared Dean would run for the state Senate and the House seat would be open. But Dean changed his mind and decided to stay in the House.
Still, the Democrats said, it’s a winnable race and argue Dean needs a challenge. And so does the GOP-controlled General Assembly, they said, pointing to, among other things, several education or socially conservative laws passed by the Legislature.