Less than a year after Tennessee Republicans tried to oust her from the state House of Representatives, Democrat Gloria Johnson is seeking re-election in the state while running a tough campaign for the U.S. Senate.
Republicans are trying to force her to choose between them.
Voters may see the name on the ballot twice and think twice. However, Tennessee and other states allow certain types of double play, with notable examples.
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Republican state lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would prohibit candidates like Johnson from appearing on the ballot multiple times in different positions in a single election. It is also prohibited to hold more than one elected office at the same time.
Efforts to change the rules about how many times someone can hold office typically end up affecting both political allies and opponents.
Exactly four years ago in Tennessee, Republican state Rep. David Hawk ran for re-election and Congress, returning to Congress after losing the federal election. Johnson’s double bid means she hopes to upset Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn when she runs again in the Knoxville district.
Tennessee Congresswoman Gloria Johnson is seen announcing her candidacy for U.S. Senate on September 5, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
Mr. Johnson does not accept the argument of the bill’s Republican supporters that he did not author the changes to the long-standing law.
“That’s just a lie,” Johnson said, “because I heard all summer that if I ran, there would be a bill. So I kept letting people know that I might run, and sure enough, there was a bill. , the bill has come out,” he said.
Tennessee’s addition of this restriction would join other states (including Kentucky, Montana, Kansas, and Oklahoma) that generally prohibit running for multiple offices in the same election. It will continue. Still, states with these restrictions provide a safety net for running for high office in a different election year than reelection.
This change does not extend to so-called “resign to run” laws in place in Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, and Texas, which work differently but generally allow incumbents to retain their positions. However, he is prohibited from running for another office, the newspaper said. Uyen Vong of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Even in states that restrict multiple candidacies, political decision makers may make exceptions to support candidates.
Last year, the Florida Legislature gave Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis a clear path to remain governor while running for president.
When Republican Sen. Rand Paul was a presidential candidate in the 2016 election cycle, he helped persuade Kentucky Republican leaders to switch from presidential primaries to early caucuses. As a result, he could not appear on the same ballot multiple times in states where voting is prohibited. In the end, Paul withdrew from the presidential race before the caucuses.
Democratic-run New Jersey amended its law in 2018 to make it clear that Sen. Cory Booker could run for president in 2020 and be re-elected.
Former U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan participated in the 2012 Wisconsin re-election vote and was selected as Republican Mitt Romney’s running mate. Similarly, former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2000, when he was Democrat Al Gore’s running mate.
Ms. Blackburn’s campaign has questioned the strength of her candidacy, citing Ms. Johnson’s multiple candidacies in Tennessee. Mr. Johnson is being contested in the primary election.
“If Gloria Johnson truly believes she will win the Democratic primary and general election in November, why is she running for both seats?” said Abigail Sigler, Blackburn’s campaign manager. Told.
Republican state legislators who support the ban argue that twice-elected candidates often give up their seats in the House, making special elections more expensive. They argue that holding multiple positions can lead to abuse of power.
If she wins both races, Johnson will likely head to Washington and resign from the state Legislature. She won re-election in 2022 by a margin of nearly 16 percentage points.
“She needs to choose what she’s really interested in and not use that as a safety net in case she loses a senior office,” said Tennessee Senate President Randy McNally. .
Johnson narrowly avoided expulsion last year for his role in a pro-gun control protest inside the Tennessee House of Representatives.
The April demonstrations came days after a gunman opened fire at Covenant School, killing three children and three adults. Mr. Johnson, without permission, joined Democratic Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones in front of the House with a bullhorn, and joined protesters in the bleachers and outside the chamber chanting.
Pearson and Jones, who are black, were expelled. Mr. Johnson, who is white, escaped a one-vote difference because his defense team argued that his role was small because he did not use a bullhorn. Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson have since been re-elected and re-elected. They were nicknamed the “Tennessee Three” and attracted national attention and raised funds.
Republican lawmakers are also considering reforms targeted by Jones and Pearson. One of the proposals proposes amending the constitution so that expelled members cannot serve again for four years. The other would prohibit local governments from reappointing members who were not prosecuted for their actions.
In California, a judge has ruled that Republican state Rep. Vince Fung can run for Congress and be re-elected to his state seat at the same time. Democratic Secretary of State Shirley Weber is appealing the ruling. Meanwhile, two Democratic members of Congress have drafted related bills.
One bill would clarify that candidates cannot file with two offices for the same election. The other claims that if a candidate files to run for a second office in the same election, he or she will automatically withdraw from the first office.
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Pennsylvania similarly saw confusion with members running for re-election and high office at the same time.
In late 2022, two newly re-elected state House Democrats resigned from their seats after winning high-level positions, temporarily disrupting the one-seat House Democratic majority and sparking a weeks-long power struggle.
A Republican-authored bill to ban the practice was not considered in the House. By the Feb. 13 deadline, four or more House members seeking re-election are expected to file to run for re-election in the spring primary.
