Democrats' top fundraiser in Tennessee calls for new

party chair
Joey Garrison , jgarrison@tennessean.com

12:36 p.m. CST November 14, 2016

BillFreeman,TennesseeDemocratstopfundraiserandapossiblecandidateforgovernorin2018
(/story/news/politics/2016/11/12/tennessees2018governorsracerightaroundcorner/93545998/),iscallingfor
theTennesseeDemocraticPartytobringinanewpartychairtoreplaceMaryManciniafterDemocrats
sufferedyetanotherroundofsweepinglosses(/story/news/politics/2016/11/08/republicansdefendbolster
strongholdstatehouse/93443818/)instatelegislativeraceslastweek.
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Afteralosslikethis,Ithinkwevegottolookateveryoptionincludinganewchair,FreemantoldThe
(Photo:SamuelM.Simpkins/The
Tennessean)

Tennessean.
MuchlikeintheNFLifacoachis016,hemightbethegreatestguyintheworld,butwereallinterestedin

resultsandthiswasaterriblefailureonthepartofallDemocrats,hesaid.Wevegottochangedirectionandfindnewleadershipandanewdirection.
Related:Cohen,CooperponderDems'nextmoveineraofTrump(/story/news/politics/2016/11/14/cohencooperponderdemsnextmove
eratrump/93648874/)
Mancini,aliberalactivistfromNashville,hasservedaschairofthestatepartyforthepasttwoyearsafterreplacingformerchairmanRoyHerron
(/story/news/politics/2015/01/10/marymancinielectednewtndemocraticpartychair/21565553/).HertermexpiresinJanuary,whentheTennessee
DemocraticParty'sExecutiveCommitteewillmeettovoteonachair.Sheconfirmedsheplansonseekinganothertwoyearterm.
AllIcantellyouisImrunningforchairagain,MancinisaidwhenaskedaboutFreemanscomments.

THETENNESSEAN

Mary Mancini elected new TN Democratic Party chair

(http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/10/mary-mancini-electednew-tn-democratic-party-chair/21565553/)
FreemanplanstooutlinehiscriticisminaletterMondaytotheTennesseeDemocraticPartysExecutiveCommittee.
TennesseeDemocratsarelickingtheirwoundsafterwatchingRepublicansexpandtheirsupermajorityintheHouseto74ofthe99seatsfollowinglast
week'selectionandholdtheirSenateRepublicansupermajority28to5.RepublicanDonaldTrumpfinishedwithmorethan61percentofthevotein
Tennessee(/story/news/politics/2016/11/09/tennesseeexamplepresidentelecttrumpswinningstrategy/93549754/),eclipsingmarginsofwinsofboth
MittRomneyin2012andJohnMcCainin2008.
Wearegoingtorevieweverythingthatwevedone,andweregoingtolearnfromoursuccessesandfromourmistakesandmoveforward,Mancini
said.
TheonlyRepublicanincumbentwholostreelectionwasRep.SteveMcManus(/story/news/politics/elections/2016/11/08/countyvoterschosetennessee
houseandsenateraces/93422492/),RShelbyCounty,whofelltoDemocratDwayneThompson.

THETENNESSEAN

Tennessee Republicans defend, bolster stronghold in statehouse

(http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/11/08/republicans-defendbolster-stronghold-statehouse/93443818/)

MaryManciniisadministeredtheoathofofficeafterherelectionaschairwomanoftheTennesseeDemocraticPartyinNashvilleonJan.10,2015.(APPhoto/Erik
Schelzig)(Photo:ErikSchelzig)

TennesseeDemocratsthisyeardeployedastrategyofrecruitingwomentorunagainstRepublicanincumbentsinstatelegislativeraces.Butnoneofthe
20DemocraticwomenwhowerepartofthateffortwononTuesday.
MancinisaidshebelievesthestrategywasnonethelesssignificantforthepartybecauseithelpedDemocratsrecruitcandidateswhoshesaidwere
capable,smartandcaredaboutourDemocraticvalues.
Nothingisimpossible,shesaidofDemocratschancesmovingforwardinTennessee.Ithinkwhatwehavetodoiskeepbuildingonwhatweve
accomplishedinthelasttwoyears,whichisalot,andthenhavetomoveforwardandtakethelessonsfromthiselectioncycleandlearnfromthem.
Freeman,awealthyrealestateprofessionalwhoranunsuccessfullyformayorofNashvillelastyear(/story/news/politics/2015/07/30/billfreemans
spendingsurpasses45mnashvillemayorsrace/30894285/)despiteanenormouscashadvantage,isthestatestopdonorforDemocrats.Hekickedoff
theelectioncyclethisyearbygivinga$100,000checktoHouseDemocratsandcontributedindividuallytoTennesseeDemocraticcandidatesandthe
statepartythroughouttheyear.

THETENNESSEAN

Bill Freeman gives $100,000 to state Dems

(http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/01/12/bill-freeman-gives100000-state-dems/78676362/)

THETENNESSEAN

Hillary Clintons Nashville fundraiser hauls in $500,000

(http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/11/23/hillary-clintonsnashville-fundraiser-hauls-500000/76258674/)
HealsoservedasacampaignfinancebundlerforDemocraticpresidentialcandidateHillaryClinton,whichinvolvedhostingmultiplefundraisersfor
ClintonincludingoneathisForestHillshome.FreemaniscurrentlyweighingaDemocraticrunforgovernor,sayinghewouldlikelymakeadecisionby
earlynextyear.
FreemanandotherDemocratsarealreadyfloatingapossiblecandidatetorunagainstManciniHollyMcCall(/story/news/2016/03/21/hollymccallrun
democratjeremydurhamshouseseat/82095308/),arecentDemocraticcandidatewholostbyalopsidedmarginlastweektoRepublicanSamWhitson
intheHouseDistrict65raceinWilliamsonCountytoreplaceoustedRepublicanRep.JeremyDurham.

FreemansaidhewouldsupportMcCallifshedecidedtorunforthechairmanposition
Ithinkshewouldbringabreathoffreshair,energy,hardworkingcommitment,Freemansaid.Andweneedtogiveothersanopportunitytoserve.
McCallsaidsheisinterestedinseekingthechairpositionbutdidofferanycriticismofMancini.
"Justinthelastfewdays,I'vehadseveralprominentmembersofDemocraticleadershipcontactmetoexpresstheirdesiretoseemerunforstateparty
chair,"shesaid."I'mhonoredthattheylookedatthewayIranmycampaignandhavereachedouttome.I'minterestedandI'mgoingtotakethenext
weekorsoandmullitover."
ReachJoeyGarrisonat6152598236andonTwitter@joeygarrison.

(Photo:MelanieBalakit/TheTennessean)

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