BRISTOL, Tenn. — Both Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and state Rep. Jon Lundberg said Tuesday they will endorse Kingsport Republican incumbent Tony Shipley in the 2nd House District GOP primary.
Those endorsements are expected to be made public at a campaign kick-off event Shipley will hold next week.
Shipley is facing a primary challenge from former Kingsport Alderman Ben Mallicote.
The 2nd House District includes part of Kingsport, Colonial Heights, Indian Springs and Sullivan Gardens.
In response to the endorsements, Mallicote said, “I understand politicians are obliged to show public support of an incumbent. Consider the leaders who are not obligated. Individuals like (Sullivan County) Sheriff Wayne Anderson, former (Kingsport) Mayor Jeanette Blazier, (current Kingsport) Mayor Phillips — leaders in the 2nd District who believe I am the candidate to best represent our community.”
Neither Ramsey nor Lundberg face a re-election challenge this year and have begun helping selected GOP candidates in contested primary races.
Ramsey, for instance, was at Monday’s re-election campaign kickoff in Maryville for Republican state Sen. Doug Overbey, an attorney and Dobyns-Bennett High School graduate.
Lundberg, R-Bristol, has endorsed GOP candidate Timothy Hill, brother of Jonesborough GOP state Rep. Matthew Hill, in the 3rd House District primary race.
Ramsey and Lundberg had arrived at a Bristol Chamber of Commerce event to sum up this past legislative session and then confirmed who they’ll endorse in the Shipley-Mallicote race.
“Tony, after four years, has a proven record, and it’s very positive,” said Lundberg, who advocated with Shipley this year to pass legislation outlawing synthetic drugs.
Ramsey, R-Blountville, said: “I will be (endorsing Shipley). I try not to endorse in primaries. Rarely have I ever endorsed in a primary where there is an open seat.”
The Shipley-Mallicote winner will face Democrat Bruce Dotson in the November general election.
Aside from the endorsements, Ramsey and Lundberg recounted legislative successes enacted by the Republican-controlled General Assembly.
Those victories included lowering the state sales tax on groceries.
“Someone joked about it being a quarter of a percent and saving a family five dollars,” Lundberg said of the food tax reduction. “It means $38 million dollars (the bill’s expense to the state). Look at what it does philosophically.”
Ramsey pointed to reforms in hiring state employees and unemployment compensation.
“(State employee) promotions were done strictly by seniority — nothing by performance,” Ramsey said. “The unemployment insurance system was broken, and now you have to be looking for work, going to a career center or checking online ... (and) if you are in jail, your unemployment check is going to stop.”
Both lawmakers agreed the most polarizing issue this year was legislation that didn’t come to a floor vote — the bill that would have allowed employees to store their guns in locked vehicles in company parking lots.
“Business latched on to it as the number one issue. ... It got very personal,” Ramsey said of the bill. “It is not a 2nd Amendment (right to bear arms) issue. It’s property rights versus self-defense. ... I’ve never seen the business community get wrapped up in an issue that is really a non-issue.”