These are the candidates running in Tennessee's House District 97 primary
Incumbent Republican Rep. John Gillespie faces one challenger in the party primary for the Tennessee House District 97 race this year. The winner of that contest will face Jesse Huseth, the one Democrat to qualify for the ballot, in November.
District 97 largely encompasses East Memphis and a small portion of Cordova.
Republican primary
John Gillespie (incumbent)
Gillespie is seeking his third term in the District 97 seat and emphasized that crime and public safety were his areas of key concern. He has sponsored or voted in favor of legislation that would deny parole to convicted violent offenders and deny probation to violent offenders who use a firearm in the commission of a crime. Gillespie said tcrime would continue to be his focus if reelected.
Christina Oppenhuizen
A self-described grassroots candidate with limited experience, Oppenhuizen said her intention if elected was to make "officials in position(s) of power be accountable for corruption." She also said she wanted to pursue policies that would hold those who committed crimes more accountable and work to ensure her constituent's tax dollars went to boosting the local economy.
Democratic primary
Jesse Huseth
The sole Democrat vying for the seat this year, Huseth has a background as a teacher and education issues are key to his platform, according to his campaign website. Huseth strongly opposes school vouchers and wants to see increased emphasis and spending on trade and technical programs. He also said securing state funding for a local crime lab would be one of his top priorities in Nashville.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Here are the Tennessee House District 97 Aug. 1 primary candidates
