MURFREESBORO - Native Rutherford county resident and community organizer Brandon Thomas will formally announce his candidacy for the Tennessee State House of Representatives, House District 49, after the Women's March in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on January 18. He is the TNDP State Executive Committeeman for Senate District 13.
According to the Thomas campaign, if elected he would be the first African American to represent Rutherford County in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Thomas was a featured speaker at the inaugural Power Together Women's March in Nashville in 2016 and has continued his participation each year. He is excited to see Women's March spotlighting areas of the state that are more rural and suburban, like Rutherford county.
"This event is a great opportunity to engage with unregistered voters and to encourage young people to be active voters. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z voters cast more ballots nationwide in the 2018 midterms than other generations. We must make sure that young adults in Rutherford County and in Tennessee continue this trend in 2020, fighting for the issues we care about and voting like our lives depend on it - because they do."
Thomas previously ran for this seat in 2016.
"On the issues, not much has changed in the four years since I last ran," Thomas said. "700,000 of our neighbors are still without healthcare coverage and the average family is burdened by ridiculously high premium and deductibles, workers' rights are routinely and cruelly ignored by our state legislature, and the investments we need in our working class communities, small business development, and community infrastructure are still not there."
"Solutions are possible. Progress for all Tennesseans, no matter their zip code, is possible. District 49 deserves a representative who has the will to tackle our challenges head-on and build a Tennessee that works for everyone, no exceptions."
In addition to expanding Medicaid for the 1 in 10 Tennesseans who lack health care coverage, Thomas believes that it's time for Tennessee to have a Workers' Bill of Rights Law and an end to the cash bail system.
The campaign is having its Women's March after-party launch at 6 pm. The media and the public are invited to attend. Details for the event can be found at the event page: https://www.facebook.com/
Thomas received his bachelor's in Political Science from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Murfreesboro with his husband Michael, their son Ezra, and their dog, Coco.
