Jerome Cochran Announces Candidacy for Carter County State Representative
(Elizabethton, TN) March 10, 2008 - Elizabethton Attorney Jerome Cochran formally announced today that he will run in the Republican Primary for Carter County State Representative. Cochran cited his opposition to tax hikes, the need for fiscal responsibility in Nashville, and his staunch pro-life and pro-gun stances as his primary motivations for seeking the seat. Cochran also stated that he has never and will never support any Democrat to lead the House of Representatives.
“This election, Carter County Republicans will have a clear choice between a conservative Republican with a proven record of supporting lower taxes, responsible state spending, and defending the rights of the unborn or our current State Representative’s record of supporting higher taxes, more government spending, and selling out Republican values for his own personal benefit,” Cochran said.
“Kent Williams not only supported a pro-abortion, pro-income tax Democrat from West Tennessee for Speaker, he also voted for the third-largest tax increase in state history despite having a record budget surplus. I can only imagine how large a tax increase he would support during a tight budget year.”
“During my time in the legislature, I sponsored and passed legislation that strengthened our DUI laws and expanded the rights of gun owners. I also brought our fair share of state dollars back to Carter County without raising taxes.
“Kent Williams made many promises to Carter County and kept very few. Progress on road projects has stopped, he’s passed no legislation, and he abandoned Republicans on his first and most important vote when he backed Liberal West Tennessee Democrat Jimmy Nafieh for Speaker. We do not need a Representative who talks like a Republican in Carter County and votes like a Democrat in Nashville. I have never voted for a Democrat to lead the House of Representatives and will continue that trend if elected to serve.”
“This election is about the future of Carter County. Do we want to continue with the good ole’ boy politics of the past where we abandon our principles for political favors? I don’t. If we are to bring more jobs and economic growth to Carter County, we must reject Kent Williams and his higher taxes, which slow down our economy and kill our jobs.”
“I want to be our State Representative and go to Nashville to improve the lives of Carter County citizens and work to improve the county for our children. I look forward to the upcoming campaign and debating Mr. Williams on whose ideas and values will bring better prosperity to our county because I believe Carter County voters will agree that conservative principles are what our county needs from our government.”
About Jerome Cochran
Jerome Cochran is married to Sandy, a registered nurse; together they have four children, Elizabeth, Jeremy, Jackson, and Emma Claire. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Regent University School of Law. He is a member of Boone Trail Baptist Church.
Did Jerome happen to mention he knocked up his now wife while in college? Woops’e, where does the baby come from???
Sarah
March 11, 2008 at 1:28 am
Sarah,
Gee, I’d hate to think what we could dig up from your past! Steal a candy bar when you were eight? Bit some kid on the playground? Got drunk when you were in high school? For shame!!!
I did a lot of things while attending UT that I’m not proud of…and that I would never do again. Becoming a Christian can certainly completely change your life – and your behavior. I’d hate to think that anyone would hold what I did a decade ago against me now, despite a good 7 or so years of “good behavior.”
It’s none of my business what Jerome and his wife did nearly a decade ago…and it’s none of yours either. Now, if Jerome had done something terribly inappropriate last week, last year, or when he was last in office, then that would be relevant. What he did in college, however, has absolutely no impact on his ability to serve faithfully now.
Kent Williams, just as an aside, was accused of sexual harassment while serving as State Representative. Now THAT is relevant.
-Jama
Jama
March 11, 2008 at 7:39 am
Sarah,
Do we want to talk about his opponent?
Josh
March 11, 2008 at 9:42 am
Since when does an accusation become the truth? I agree that Jerome’s & his wife’s business is their own. I also think Kent and his wife’s business is their own. You should be very careful with this continual slander of Kent Williams. The rumor of sexual harassment was just that, a rumor. How about the rumor that Jerome is bisexual? I’ve never seen that on your site. Because it’s just a rumor and unproven same as the harassment rumor about Kent Williams. If the truth isn’t good enough for Jerome to be elected, then he shouldn’t be elected. How about we stick with the issues? You have a good site, why not keep it accurate?
Betsy
March 11, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Betsy,
The “rumor” can be corroborated by several State Representatives – three present when the comment was made, and two present when Williams apologized.
Further, sexual harassment involves a person other than Williams and his wife and, because it occurred while Williams was in office, that makes it public business.
-Jama
Jama
March 12, 2008 at 8:05 am
Although I wouldn’t mind a bit if he did, Jerome is too classy to use the sexual harassment issue in his campaign. He was too classy to even respond to Kent’s attacks for the longest time last election. I suspect he’ll be more aggressive this go around, but I think you can rest assured that Jerome won’t be calling your brother out on his sexual misconduct, Betsy. However, there are citizens like me who know about it and aren’t pleased that he represented us this way in Nashville.
By the way, truth is an affirmative defense to slander. Besides, a candidate for public office is considered a public figure for defamation purposes, and that calls for an elevated burden on the plaintiff. He’d have to prove actual malice to prevail — and that’s nearly impossible to do. Good luck with your lawsuit.
I hope your brother, Kent, is ready for a dogfight.
Todd
March 12, 2008 at 8:17 am
Hey Betsy, I hear that Jerome is straight but I think the confussion comes from the fact that Kent Williams tried sexually advances on him too!
Juan McCain
March 13, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Rumors from the Tennessee Politics Blog
“Kent Williams, just as an aside, was accused of sexual harassment while serving as State Representative. Now THAT is relevant. -Jama”
“Betsy,
The “rumor” can be corroborated by several State Representatives – three present when the comment was made, and two present when Williams apologized.
Further, sexual harassment involves a person other than Williams and his wife and, because it occurred while Williams was in office, that makes it public business. -Jama”
Jama, I followed your advice and read through your linked Tennessee Politics Blog rumor “for myself”— this Tennessee Politics Blog blurb about the rumored incident never mentioned that:
State Rep. Susan Lynn ever made any formal, public “accusation” with regard to the sexual harassment that you are alledging that Rep. Williams supposedly stated to Lynn;
nor did the Tennessee Politics Blog rumor ever quoted the actual harrassing comment that you alledge that Williams stated to Lynch;
nor any citation or reference to the custodial agency of any filed records (of ethics complaints or criminal charges) by Lynn against Williams, and;
nor the names of the three legislators that you are now stating were present at the time and place that you alledge that Williams directed sexual harassing statements toward Lynch (and if your three legislators were actually present, surely they would have told you exactly what was purportedly stated by Williams to Lynn).
BTW, I have read the other post of the email supposedly Joshua Arrowood and Rep. Kent Willaims — Arrowood sorely fails to mention the exact statement and context of the unknown statement within the sexual harassing comments that you both are alledging that Williams directed toward Lynn.
Elmer Gantry
March 16, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Lynn…”Lynch” my error
Elmer Gantry
March 16, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Why don’t these right wing fascist nut jobs get a law passed that requires, in addition to obtaining the perfunctory number of signatures on your petition to run for office, a listing of the number of people you have slept with, their name, addresses, social security number and for posterities’ sake, their DNA. After all, if you are in public office then we must know these things, right? Nothing like smaller government. When it comes to conservatives, smaller government means putting government cameras in your bedroom so we can keep track of this stuff. Are conservatives hung up on sex because they don’t get enough of it?? Or perhaps they believe the genesis story and feel guilty every time they have sex so they must use the government to try and make everyone else feel guilty?? Hmmmmm……….
Gary W. Melvin
March 18, 2008 at 7:03 am
“ama said,
March 11, 2008 at 7:39 am
“Sarah,
Gee, I’d hate to think what we could dig up from your past! Steal a candy bar when you were eight? Bit some kid on the playground? Got drunk when you were in high school? For shame!!!
I did a lot of things while attending UT that I’m not proud of…and that I would never do again. Becoming a Christian can certainly completely change your life – and your behavior. I’d hate to think that anyone would hold what I did a decade ago against me now, despite a good 7 or so years of “good behavior.”
College Republicans at the University of Tennessee, perhaps?
Elmer Gantry
March 20, 2008 at 1:28 am
[...] Williams is finishing up his first term in the legislature and faces a primary challenge from the man he beat in 2006, conservative former Rep. Jerome [...]
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