Franklin battles for its soul in mayor race pitting Gabrielle Hanson against Ken Moore

Before any critic dismisses me for being a Nashville resident sticking my nose in Williamson County business, let me explain that I have a history of participating in civic events and writing about milestones affecting my neighbors to the south.

The Tennessean sees the great value in covering Williamson for its business, societal and artistic contributions to the Middle Tennessee region as a whole.

Moreover, I have moderated several mayoral and aldermanic forums and have attended Breakfast with the Mayors and FrankTalks events in Franklin, among other activities.

In 2021, I wrote the editorial naming as People of the Year the founders of the Fuller Story, which transformed the public square into a place that honored Franklin’s multifaceted, multiracial history.

The previous year I wrote a column about the city winning the National Civil League's All-America City award for its efforts to bring residents together.

In addition, I was part of the organizing team that put questions and the format together for the Oct. 2 FrankTalks election forum at City Hall presented by Franklin Tomorrow, Williamson Inc., Williamson County Association of REALTORS® and the League of Women Voters of Williamson County.

I mention this all because I am weighing in on Franklin's divisive and bizarre 2023 municipal election that has garnered national attention.

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Gabrielle Hanson’s words and actions would have been disqualifying once

The reason for the controversy revolves around mayoral candidate Alderman Gabrielle Hanson.

She is challenging incumbent Mayor Ken Moore in the Oct. 24 municipal election. Early voting began on Wednesday.

Moore ran without opposition in 2019, but the controversy is not about a contested election; it’s about his challenger who has made bizarre claims and has a checkered past.

She pled no contest to charges of promoting prostitution in Dallas in the 1990s. More recently, in 2023, she espoused unfounded beliefs about the motives of the killer at The Covenant School shooting on March 27 and she claimed publicly she had a premonition about the massacre.

In her official capacity, she urged Nashville International Airport to withdraw its donation to a Juneteenth celebration.

The city’s Ethics Commission recommended that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen censure her for that action, but the elected officials chose not to act in their late September meeting.

While Hanson avoided these topics at the Oct. 2 forum, she was accompanied by a group of men who said they belonged to the Tennessee Active Club, identified by a Southern Poverty Law Center investigation as a Neo-Nazi white supremacist group. The Tennessean reported on the SPLC report over the summer.

All these things would be disqualifying in a previous time, but apparently not today.

The mayoral candidates could not be more starkly different.

Franklin elections: Hanson says Tennessee Active Club not hired; board decries 'neo-Nazis'

Moore, who has served as mayor for 12 years, has led the city as it has grown quickly as a desirable place for new residents and businesses.

Franklin grew from 62,487 people in 2010 to 83,454 in 2020 -- a 33.6% increase, according to the U.S. Census.

On Oct. 3, WalletHub named Franklin one of the 20 best small cities in America.

Moore has focused on issues of growth, bringing community together and working with regional mayors on solutions such as transit and housing.

The rivals both backed incentives to bring In-N-Out Burger to the area, but whereas Hanson opposed the Franklin Pride festival, Moore cast the tie-breaking vote to allow it.

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Closing statements at Franklin candidate forum show stark differences

Their closing statements in the forum captured how far apart they are in their view of what Franklin needs now.

Find excerpts below.

Watch the full forum at this link.

Mayor Ken Moore

“We must tell the truth and be accountable for what we say and do. My opponent has not been transparent and has resorted to using fear and falsehoods to distort my record. Franklin voters deserve better than this.

“That's why I'm asking your vote … To ensure that we can build on our record of success and protect the unique character of Franklin, a place we have all chosen to live, work, worship and raise our families.”

Alderman Gabrielle Hanson

“I want to make sure that Franklin doesn't become a victim of another national agenda where we lose the historic, quaint charm that has become synonymous with Franklin.

“This is very likely the most significant election since the Battle of Franklin. This is a battle for the heart and soul of this community, for our culture, for our identify, for our future and for our children.

“We can't afford another four years on the trajectory that we're currently on.”

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The real issues in Franklin race transcend ideology and politics

The Battle of Franklin was a Civil War skirmish fought on Nov. 30, 1864 that resulted in 8,578 casualties and a Union victory over the Confederacy, according to the American Battlefield Trust.

The war metaphor is rather strange, but perhaps not unusual at a time when there has been pushback to removing Confederate monuments or reassessing history in South and where the national culture war has entered into local politics.

Williamson County is a red county and many of the state’s Republican leaders reside here, including Gov. Bill Lee, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson.

But the war reference is peculiar given the growth challenges facing counties around Middle Tennessee that involve how to pay for public services, develop a sustainable workforce, and provide housing opportunities for residents of different income levels.

Serious mayors know that growth doesn’t pay for itself and sometimes requires greater investment from the public, such as, as the 2017 sales tax increase to better fund Williamson County Schools.

These are issues that transcend ideology and politics.

This election is very much about the soul and future of Franklin, and while I cannot vote in this race, I encourage all who can to cast a ballot.

Early voting ends on Oct. 19 and Election Day is Oct. 24.

Who is running for office in Franklin's Oct. 24 election

Mayor

Gabrielle Hanson and Ken Moore

Alderman at-Large

Position A: Clyde Barnhill (unopposed)

Position B: Brandy Blanton and Gary Moore

Position C: Greg Caesar, Patrick George and B.K. Muvvala

Position D: Jeff Feldman and Ann Petersen

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters.. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Franklin mayor election shows Ken Moore, Gabrielle Hanson's contrasts