to
address
address the issue is facing teneessee ins today from 10 news.
This is inside Tennesseee.
Good >> Sunday morning and
welcome to Inside Tennesseee.
I'm your moderator John Becker.
We turn our attention to what
is now an open seat in the
Tennessee House represents
Martin Daniel opted against
running for another two year
term to serve District 18.
To give you a sense that
district there about 60
thousand people in it if you
took nor saw Shaw Drive and
then Pellissippi Parkway,
everybody in between there to
the north and to the south is
represented by this district
and there are two people
running we have today the
Democrat hoping to win that
seat on and the Republican
Democrat Virginia Couch is with
us and Republican Eddie Mannix
both with us this morning as
well as our panelists Don Bosch
who is a Democrat and runs his
own law firm and Susan
Richardson William who runs her
own PR firm and she is a
Republican.
Let's start with >> the reason
you guys are running for this
seat in miscounts.
Let's start with you >>.
Well >>, first of all, thank
you for having me on.
I'm running about opportunities
.
It's 20/20 and we're still not
able to provide people with
basic opportunities and
opportunities.
I've had all my life.
I'm 56 years old and here >> it
is 20.
And people still don't have an
opportunity to get a get at
public education, an
opportunity to get and stay
healthy and economic
opportunity examine economic
opportunities for everyone,
good jobs, good careers, no
access to small businesses and
these opportunities is what
it's what I've been able to
practice for 20 years.
I get to teach at a class at
the law school.
I've got a successful small
business of my own all because
of these opportunities.
And >> that's what that's what
I want to run.
I watched in 2016.
Nationally things change in in
twenty eighteen the state
changed and I wasn't going to
let happen again.
I really want to get out there
and bring some opportunities to
everyone in district.
>> Eddie man is your reason for
running.
Good morning John.
Thank you.
Thanks for having us this
morning.
Yeah.
morning. Yeah. You know I have been involved
in the community most of my
adult career, most my adult
life and starting a business
nightbeat.
And now we employ we have about
100 full time employees that is
the postcoital during the
cove it processed.
So it's important that that
everyone does have
opportunities in the community.
But you know, keeping
government small, helping small
business small entrepreneurs.
It's when I was in the mayor's
race I talked about really
entrepreneurship and and
starting a small business and
those opportunities are vital
trying to really create
economic development, better
paying jobs companies to
Tennesseee and District 18 and
Knox County are very important
to me.
And we'll continue to be very
important to me.
I think bring a lot to the
table from a business
experience perspective.
I've been through a lot lots of
ups and down with my own
company and I think education
needs to continue to be a focus
of our economic development and
affordable and accessible
health care for our community.
So I'm excited about the
opportunity and the challenges
certainly are much greater in
the last few weeks or a few
months now that kov it as has
come but I'm up for the
challenge and I look forward to
serving >> Don Bosch one out to
lead us off with some
.
. Sure.
. Sure. Virginia, let me start with
you.
You having lived most my adult
life and in this district I'm
watching a change.
I think it's been primarily a
Republican district that's
really starting to change and
as we like to say become purple
versus just red.
And with that said, if you were
elected into a state
legislative body that is
heavily Republican, how do you
think you would be able to
thrive and survive in that
environment to effectuate some
of the changes and some of the
things that you want to see?
Well, I've been an attorney for
20 years.
I've been a small business
attorney.
I've put a lot of deals
together helping the
businesses.
Bondsteel other businesses bond
sale, real estate representing
,you know, parties that have a
lot of many parties that don't
have a lot of money men on the
easy side and the hard side.
It's all about deals together.
So I can work across the aisle
and and you heard what Mr.
Maynard said.
We're we're looking at the same
issues, you know, affordable
health care, education and
economic growth.
These are not partizan issues.
These are issues that all
constituents Republican,
Democrat, Independent, Arab.
And so I think it's just a
matter of being able to work
across the I'll bring a lot of
negotiation skills and how to
how to do that to the table.
>> So what would you do
different then then either your
Republican opponent or Martin
Daniel who was their previously
as a Republican on any of the
issues?
I think the >> main thing is
bringing good research to the
table.
You hear a lot of people
screaming about, you know, well
,expanding 10 care is going to
cost too much.
No, let's look at the numbers.
Let's look at the numbers in
other states when this was done
,how much it cost, how much
it's affecting day, how much
economic opportunity improved
health care that it brings.
Doing that research and being
able to show the other side,
take the partizanship out of it
.
Let's look at the numbers and
the data and come to some kind
of agreement.
It may not be everything you
want.
It may not be everything I want
but it's got it.
We've got to be moving forward
.
It can't just be always
whatever the supermajority
wants banquet.
It can't be that way.
That's not an serve and serve
in all the constituents.
We're leaving a lot of people
without a chance to come to the
table ready >>.
Let's go to successful.
I didn't say that'll be a
refreshing way.
So I'd like to hear John.
Yeah.
What you said, Eddie, what did
what do you think about the
very John what was the question
just >> to you Don's question
about deal making and how would
you handle this office
different differently than your
predecessor Martin Daniel?
>> Well, I don't know how I
would handle it differently,
but I am I will take a more
moderate approach and I think
it's time locally state
national that we find solutions
for problems.
And in my 36 years now in
business I that's pretty much
all find solutions for problems
.
And I am a collaborator.
I'm used to to working with
employees and making customers
happy serving customers.
And so I think it's just about
finding solutions and not
worrying about a political
identity of and if that's the
case then I'm certainly the
person for that position.
Lamar Alexander always put this
phrase quite often conservative
values independent mind.
And I think that's really
important as we move forward.
I will work to the best that I
can with both sides of the
aisle to bring results
delivered results for