NASHVILLE - Republican businessman Bill Lee made it official today, filing papers to run in what promises to be a crowded 2018 GOP primary field for governor.
Standing before a RV emblazoned with "man of faith" and "conservative outsider" - not to mention, seventh-generation Tennessean, businessman and father, the Williamson county chairman of Franklin-based Lee Co. told reporters he's spent "most of my life waking up in the morning thinking about how I can make life better for my employees."
Lee said "one day, I had a sense, 'What if it were my job to wake up in the morning and make life better for six-and-a-half million people in Tennessee?' That was compelling to me and drove me to explore this option for me – given my passions and experiences – that's why I'm running for governor."
He acknowledged having no prior government experience, but told reporters "I'm not worried about that." he said he thinks his "life/leadership" skills will serve him well as he focuses on jobs, public safety and education.
Lee joins fellow millionaire Randy Boyd, the state's former commissioner of the state's Department of Economic and Community in the contest. Democrat and former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean has also announced.
The 57-year-old Lee, grew up on a cattle farm and has headed the family-owned firm since the early 1990s as it underwent major expansion. The company is involved in heating and air conditioning, plumbing and and home improvements.
Lee made his official announcement at the Farmers' Market in downtown Nashville. Lee now starts a 95-county tour of Tennessee over the next 95 days. His first stop is in tiny Spencer, Tenn., in Van Buren County on the Upper Cumberland Plateau.
"We're going to run the most aggressive grassroots campaign in Tennessee history," vowed Lee, who said his family history here stretches back to 1796.
The GOP primary is expected to chock full of ambitious Republicans seeking to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.
Besides Boyd, the list of other Republicans expected to announce or seriously considering running include U.S. Rep. Diane Black of Gallatin, Republican state House Speaker Beth Harwell of Nashville and state Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville.
U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, a Chattanooga Republican, who is up for reelection this year, has been coy about whether he might seek the GOP gubernatorial nomination instead.
Both Boyd and Black are millionaires. Boyd recently raised politicos' eyebrows by contributing $5 million to the Knoxville Zoo. Corker, likewise, is a multi-millionaire.
State Sen. Mark Green, R-Clarksville, previously announced he is running for governor. But the would-be Gov. Green has suspended his campaign after Republican President Donald Trump nominated Green for U.S. Army secretary.