GOP chairman's backing of Republicans for nonpartisan city council challenged (2024)

Austin Maxwell also serves on elected Murfreesboro City Council

Reelected Murfreesboro City Council member Kirt Wade wants the governing body to remain free of partisan elections.

Wade questions why fellow council member Austin Maxwell used his role as the chairman of the Rutherford County Republican Party to urge voters to back GOP candidates for the city election.

"Why are we letting one person promote one party in a nonpartisan race?" Wade asked. "We vote on what's best for the city of Murfreesboro. We don't vote as Republicans, Democrats or independents."

Partisan politics: Rutherford school board Zone 2 race gets divisive with RINO insult to GOP officials

Wade said he intends to bring the issue up during the next council meeting under the other business part of the agenda. The council will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday (Aug. 8) at Murfreesboro Airport.

Wade said he's gotten phone calls from people wanting to understand why Maxwell is serving both as an elected city official and chairman of the Republican Party.

"Who are you serving? Wade said. "Are you serving your constituents or are you serving the Republican Party?"

Election results: Murfreesboro City Council incumbents Wright, Shacklett and Wade win reelection

Maxwell: GOP endorses 2 candidates for council

Maxwell said the local GOP he leads decided to endorse both Republicans competing in the Aug. 1 election:

• Shawn Wright, who won reelection with the most votes out of five candidates competing for three seats;
• and Matt Herriman, who placed fifth after touting his experience in serving on Republican Gov. Bill Lee's staff.

Incumbent Murfreesboro Vice Mayor Bill Shacklett won reelection to the council with the second most votes while Wade held his seat with the third most votes.

The Republican chairman also noted that the Rutherford County Democratic Party endorsed council candidate Kelly Northcutt, who placed fourth. Northcutt previously campaigned as a Democratic against elected Republican state Sen. Dawn White of Murfreesboro.

Rutherford County Democratic Party chairperson Morgan Woodberry confirmed the endorsem*nt of Northcutt. The local Democrats, however, did not endorse Shacklett.

Vice Mayor Shacklett had won the Democrat Party primary in 2010 to campaign for the Tennessee House of Representatives District 34 seat before losing to Republican Rick Womick. The GOP nominee replaced then retiring Republican state Sen. Donna Rowland of Murfreesboro.

Election issues: 5 Murfreesboro council candidates wrangle with growth topics at forum ahead of election

GOP withheld endorsem*nt for Maxwell in 2022 when he ran for council

Maxwell said he did notify Wade in advance of the election about the Republican Party endorsem*nts and is surprised his fellow council member would make an issue of the GOP chairman's position.

"It is disappointing," Maxwell said.

The local Republican Party also endorsed Wright in 2020 when he won his seat and 2018 when he unsuccessfully campaigned for council, Maxwell said.

The GOP, however, withheld endorsem*nts for council candidates in 2022 at the request of Maxwell to avoid a "self serving" appearance for him as chairman when he won election to the city government seat along with fellow Republican Jami Averwater.

GOP primary results: Republican state Reps. Tim Rudd and Robert Stevens win contested GOP primaries

Wade: There's 'too much dirty stuff going on behind the scenes'

Wade said the issue is not about a political party endorsem*nts.

"It's about an elected official campaigning for a pollical party in a nonpartisan race," Wade said.

Wade said Maxwell and the council should remain nonpartisan and stay away from the divisive national issues because there's "too much dirty stuff going on behind the scenes."

"He is promoting his party as an elected official," Wade said. "Do we think that’s right? If I was the chair of the Democratic Party, would they ask me to step down? I think they would. They would say it’s unethical."

Wade said he tries to vote for the best candidate in the partisan elections, including for former Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.

"Haslam did an excellent job as governor," Wade said.

Averwater v. Stevens: District 13 House Republican candidates spar over immigration in attack campaign mailer

3 local governing bodies in Rutherford have become partisan since 2014

Candidates for city government and Rutherford County Road Board offices campaign strictly as independents.

The 21-member Rutherford County Commission has been holding partisan elections since 2014. The current County Commission following the 2022 election consists of 16 Republicans, two Democrats and three independents.

School board candidates used to run strictly as independents until the law changed in 2022 to allow partisan elections. By 2024, the partisan elections have led to voters electing Republicans to serve in all seven Rutherford County Board of Education seats starting in September.

Election results 2024: Vaught, Vaughn, Tidwell and Maxwell win to join all GOP Rutherford County school board

Maxwell promoted the election of fellow Republicans such as Stan Vaught to serve on the county school board that includes Vice Chairman Claire Maxwell, who's married to the local GOP chairman. Austin Maxwell scolded any fellow Republicans by calling each of them a RINO (Republican In Name Only) for backing independent candidate Robert Brooks, the opponent who lost to Vaught in the Aug. 1 election.

Although the county now has an all GOP school board, the Murfreesboro City School Board has one elected Republican, Barbara Long, serving with six independents.

Partisan politics in education: Democrat fears new GOP majority county school board may mean book banning, teacher firing

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal,sign up for a digital subscription.

Election schedule 2024 for Rutherford County

• Election Day for president and offices for federal, state, Eagleville, La Vergne and Smyrna: Nov. 5
• Last day to register to vote in Nov. 5 election: Oct. 7
• Absentee by mail voting period for Nov. 5 election: Aug. 7-Oct. 29
• Early voting period for Nov. 5 election: Oct. 16-31

Source: Rutherford County Election Commission website