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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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Opinion: Sessoms’ Soapbox – The Tennessee GOP is off the rails

Contributed photo / State Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, speaks Dec. 9, 2024, about U.S. vs. Skrmetti at Collegedale City Hall. From left are state Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, Watson, state Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, state Rep.-elect Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, state Rep. Adam Lowe, R-Cleveland, and Hamilton County Commissioner Jeff Eversole, R-Ooltewah.
Contributed photo / State Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, speaks Dec. 9, 2024, about U.S. vs. Skrmetti at Collegedale City Hall. From left are state Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, Watson, state Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, state Rep.-elect Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, state Rep. Adam Lowe, R-Cleveland, and Hamilton County Commissioner Jeff Eversole, R-Ooltewah. Contributed photo / State Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, speaks Dec. 9, 2024, about U.S. vs. Skrmetti at Collegedale City Hall. From left are state Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, Watson, state Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, state Rep.-elect Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, state Rep. Adam Lowe, R-Cleveland, and Hamilton County Commissioner Jeff Eversole, R-Ooltewah.

GOP members of the Hamilton County legislative delegation, speaking at various events this week, once again, in a not-so-stunning display, showed just how misinformed and harmful their policy positions are.

There’s a plethora of issues we could pick from that illustrate this, but let’s focus on just two: immigration and public health.


Immigration

Ahead of the incoming Tennessee General Assembly, GOP legislators have pre-filed two state immigration bills.