Will Burchett opponent step up and will Massey opponent step down? | Ashe

Domonica Bryan has announced her candidacy as a Democrat for state senator to oppose the winner of the Becky Massey-Monica Irvine GOP primary.

Bryan is an employee of the Department of Children's Services. She has not fully addressed the issue of how she can wage a campaign during working hours or whether she has pledged not to do so. How will she balance her current employment with the 24/7 demands of a campaign?

If elected, does she plan to resign from her state government job? She has not given a clear answer. Only one answer makes sense, which is yes, she will resign.

Former unsuccessful Democratic state Senate candidate Jane George, a chiropractor, says she is running for Congress against Tim Burchett but declines to give interviews or even respond to questions until January. Her unusual approach is unlikely to succeed.

George received only 38 percent of the vote against state Sen. Massey in 2020. Despite all the issues facing Burchett and his alliances with liberal Democrats, George is unlikely to cause him to lose sleep.

George, 62, who lives in East Knoxville, desperately needs publicity to have a chance against Burchett. It simply makes no sense for her to stiff the media for two to three months.

On the other hand, Burchett has attracted unwelcome attention in recent weeks for abandoning 96% of the GOP caucus in voting to remove Kevin McCarthy (R-California) as House speaker. A few weeks later, Burchett claimed McCarthy “sucker punched” him in a House hallway. Both came out looking like third graders in a playground fight.

Burchett has attracted regular national publicity, but it is hard to see how it helps our district.

Burchett appears to be a man alone. It is sad that he is quickly becoming ineffective in his ability to deliver for our district.

The resignation of Matt Shears as chair of the Knox County Democratic Party is a real loss to local Democrats and should evoke a sigh of relief for local Republicans. Shears and his family are moving to North Carolina. He was the most active, energetic and effective Knox Democratic chair in decades. He will be replaced by Vice Chair CJ Butcher.

Shears, also an ordained minister, spoke Nov. 19 at Logan Temple AME Zion Church in East Knoxville and was well received. During his watch, Knox Democrats flipped several local offices and raised credible challenges in others. Butcher has his work cut out for him to continue the Shears agenda.

Municipal Judge John Rosson has been a class act as he reached out to his newly elected opponent, Tyler Caviness, and invited him to visit city court Nov. 9 and 10. It doesn’t often happen that the defeated incumbent eases the transition.

It is too bad that former President Donald Trump did not receive that memo on how to create a smooth transition. It sets a positive example for others.

Meanwhile, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon, along with Caviness, will take their oaths of office at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 16 in the main assembly room of the City County Building. Four City Council members will take their oath: Amelia Parker, Lynne Fugate, Debbie Helsley and Charlie Thomas. Helsley is the new councilmember.

Recently, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and one of her Democratic opponents, Gloria Johnson, flew on the same aircraft to Washington, but Blackburn declined the suggestion from Johnson that they take a selfie photo.

Birthdays

Dec. 1: District Attorney General Charme Allen is 59. Deputy city engineer director Steve King is 68. Bedros R. Bozdogan is 44. Peter W. Glander is 45. Tammy Kaousias is 58. Carolyn Fairbanks is 63.

Dec. 2: Alan Duff is 69. St. John’s Episcopal Rev. John Ross is 69. Patrick A. Goswitz is 29. County Commissioner Courtney Durrett is 43. TV newsman John Becker is 52.

Dec. 3: Raja Jubran is 66. Catherine Traver is 65. Nancy Montgomery is 94. Brandon Bruce is 45. Kelly Johnson is 48. Sara McCord is 34. Donald K. Dougall is 93.

Dec. 4: Gordon S. Smith and Scott Smith are both 59. Travis Vickery is 43. Jarrod Blue is 38 and Joey Letterman is 44.

Dec. 5: Retired Judge Dale Workman is 77. Former County Mayor Tommy Schumpert is 85. Eric Barton is 48. Meryl Montgomery is 68. Casey Fox is 41. Lisa Cyr is 41. Stuart Brotman is 71. Architect David Hutchins is 68.

Dec. 6: Former Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis is 69.

Dec. 7: State Sen. Richard Briggs is 71. Alanna McKissack is 31. Vance Sherwood is 77. Marva Martin is 80.

Victor Ashe is a former Knoxville mayor and former ambassador to Poland. He is a columnist for Shopper News. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Will Burchett opponent step up and will Massey opponent step down?