A newly formed political action committee from Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, has announced that it will donate $100,000 to Van Turner’s Memphis mayoral campaign. The Tennessee Lookout reports that Pearson, who raised about $1 million this year amid international outrage after being expelled from the state House for leading an anti-gun rally on the chamber floor, has about $800,000 left in his state campaign account and is preparing to start using the money to back “progressive” candidates for local and state offices.

Nashville Mayor-Elect Freddie O'Connell on Friday announced an initial set of advisers who will guide his transition into office. Among the group are local lawyers David Esquivel with Bass Berry & Sims, Bob Mendes with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Junaid Odubeko with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings. The group will focus on three areas: how Nashville works, how Nashville moves and how Nashville grows, the Nashville Business Journal reports.

The runoff elections for Nashville mayor, Metro Council seats and state representative concluded yesterday. The Tennessean reports that Freddie O’Connell, a former two-term downtown Metro Council member, is Metro Nashville’s 10th mayor. O’Connell clinched 63.8% of the 114,226 votes cast to defeat Alice Rolli, a former political strategist and campaign manager for Sen. Lamar Alexander. Axios Nashville published an in-depth look at O’Connell’s path to mayor. Delishia Porterfield, Quin Evans-Segall, Burkley Allen and Olivia Hill join Zulfat Suara on Metro Council, marking the first all-female slate of at-large council members; Hill is the first transgender person to serve on the council, according to the Nashville Scene. WPLN reports that Democrat Aftyn Behn won the special election to complete Bill Beck’s term representing Tennessee House District 51 with 75% of the vote over Republican David Hooven and Independent Annabelle Lee. The Davidson County Election Commission has the full breakdown of the races.

Americans for Prosperity hosted the Reignite the American Dream Dinner & Summit in Kingsport yesterday, where lawmakers discussed policies related to the American Dream. WJHL reports that topics included economic concerns such as rising inflation and government spending, with U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Kingsport, emphasizing the need to address inflation by reducing government spending, while state Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, highlighted measures such as eliminating the grocery tax and investing in infrastructure. Tennessee Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, mentioned efforts to outlaw a statewide property tax. 

Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly says he will seek reelection for a second term in 2025. The Times-Free Press reports that Kelly highlighted various accomplishments during his tenure, including pay increases for city workers, road infrastructure investments and wastewater system improvements, and also emphasized his commitment to addressing issues such as affordable housing and homelessness.

U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, has once again drawn the ire of federal election officials, who have sent him two more warning letters, Tennessee Lookout reports. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is now threatening to audit and potentially fine Ogles’ campaign account for possible improper reporting and illegal contributions, including an alleged contribution exceeding allowed limits and alleged illegal corporate donations. Ogles is a first-year congressman who won the newly-drawn Tennessee 5th Congressional District previously held by Jim Cooper.

The Memphis mayoral and municipal election is set for Oct. 5 when voters will choose between 17 candidates for mayor, a host of candidates for city council and three candidates for city court clerk (though the city council recently passed an initial ordinance ending elections for that office). Current clerk Myron Lowery is not seeking reelection. Candidates are Demeatrise Givens, Janice Hooker and Michael R. Williams. Candidates for mayor include Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, state Rep. Karen Camper, businessman J. W. Gibson, former mayor Willie W. Herenton, county school board member Michelle McKissack and former Memphis NAACP president Van Turner. Current mayor Jim Strickland is term limited. Early voting runs from Sept. 15-30. The last day to request an absentee ballot is Sept. 28. See the full list of races and candidates in the Commercial Appeal.

State Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, formally announced her bid for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday during campaign events in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis, reports KnoxNews. Johnson, 61, will attempt to unseat Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn, 71, who was elected to the Senate in 2018 after serving 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Reps. Justin Pearson and Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, will serve as Johnson’s campaign co-chairs. Johnson's first stop this morning was near Central High School in Knoxville, where she formerly taught and experienced a school shooting in 2008. This evening she will speak in Memphis at the I Am A Man Plaza. Johnson will face off against community activist and organizer Marquita Bradshaw in the Democratic primary. Bradshaw won the Democratic Senate nomination in 2020 but lost to Republican Bill Hagerty. Johnson gained national attention after she was nearly expelled from the Tennessee General Assembly for protesting for gun reform on the House floor as part of the "Tennessee Three."

Nashville mayoral candidate Alice Rolli announced Monday she would no longer employ McShane, a campaign consultant firm, after she found it had "more than a strong connection to the Proud Boys" militia group, reports the Tennessean. Rolli's campaign had paid the Las Vegas-based firm over $250,000 since March, according to finance records. Woodrow Johnston, a senior vice president for McShane, resigned from the campaign on Saturday but disputed Rolli's portrayal of the separation, claiming they disagreed on the direction of the campaign.

The Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee on Saturday adopted a resolution calling on fellow Republican Gov. Bill Lee to abandon his planned upcoming special session, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. The resolution "encourages Gov. Bill Lee to reconsider and not have a special session." Many in the GOP-controlled legislature also are opposed to the special session and the legislation the governor wants considered, the Nashville Post reports. That measure would create a new order of protection law allowing judges to temporarily take guns away from those who are deemed dangerous to themselves or others.