WASHINGTON — The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is endorsing veteran and small business owner Juanita Charles in the Tennessee Senate District 22 special election.
“Juanita Charles is a veteran and small business owner who has spent her life fighting for her country and community,” said Jessica Post, executive director of the DLCC. “She understands the challenges facing Tennessee’s middle-class families and will fight to ensure they receive the education, health and economic security they deserve.”
Charles, who served in the US Army and National Reserve before becoming a realtor, faces Republican Bill Powers in an April 23 special election to fill the Senate District 22 seat vacated by Congressman Mark Green. You can read more about Charles on the DLCC’s Spotlight page.
“I’m proud to earn the support of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, “Charles said. “In the legislature, I’m going to work toward commonsense solutions to improve education, health care and infrastructure here in our community.”
The DLCC is also highlighting the importance of bringing more gender parity to Tennessee’s legislature. The state currently ranks 44th in representation of women in the legislature, with just 21 women serving in the state’s 132 legislative offices, according to the Center for American Women and Politics.
“Representatives should reflect the people they represent — but with a legislature that’s just 15 percent women, Tennessee is miserably failing that test,” Post said. “Candidate diversity is a core part of our winning strategy at the DLCC, but this isn’t just about politics. We’re working to ensure every American, of every gender, race and religion, is well represented at the state level.”
The DLCC has helped elect more than 1,400 Democratic women to state legislatures, and Democrats make up nearly 70 percent of all women in state legislatures.
In stark contrast to the Democratic emphasis on diversity, Powers, the Republican candidate in the race, appeared to post anti-LGBT and anti-Muslim comments on his campaign Facebook page in March.
