WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:02.698 (female announcer) This is a production of WKNO - Memphis. 00:02.698 --> 00:06.298 Production funding for "Behind the Headlines" is made possible 00:06.298 --> 00:15.764 in part by.. 00:15.764 --> 00:18.264 A preview of the local primary elections 00:18.264 --> 00:20.464 tonight on "Behind the Headlines." 00:20.464 --> 00:36.931 [theme music] ♪♪♪ 00:36.931 --> 00:38.631 I'm Eric Barnes, publisher of the Memphis Daily News. 00:38.631 --> 00:39.798 Thanks for joining us. 00:39.798 --> 00:43.298 We are joined tonight by the two heads of the local parties. 00:43.298 --> 00:46.564 We'll start with Bryan Carson, Shelby County Democartic Party. 00:46.564 --> 00:47.398 Thank you for being here. 00:47.398 --> 00:48.498 Thank you. 00:48.498 --> 00:51.498 Bill Dries, senior reporter with the Memphis Daily News. 00:51.498 --> 00:54.131 And Justin Joy, Shelby County Republican Party. 00:54.131 --> 00:55.231 Thank you both for being here. 00:55.231 --> 00:56.231 Thank you very much. 00:56.231 --> 00:58.231 We're gonna start a little differently. 00:58.231 --> 01:00.231 Bill, there are so many elections. 01:00.231 --> 01:01.231 We're talking about primaries. 01:01.231 --> 01:02.231 But they're big primaries. 01:02.231 --> 01:04.231 And why don't you give us a rundown, 01:04.231 --> 01:06.231 a kind of lay of the land of what's, 01:06.231 --> 01:08.431 who's running, what's up, what offices are up for election? 01:08.431 --> 01:10.431 And then we'll get in to questioning these guys. 01:10.431 --> 01:11.431 Alright. 01:11.431 --> 01:14.698 Election day -- the most important fact here is May 6. 01:14.698 --> 01:16.698 Early voting will start in April. 01:16.698 --> 01:20.864 These are primary elections, Democratic and Republican for 01:20.864 --> 01:22.364 county offices. 01:22.364 --> 01:26.498 There are 83 candidates, 29 Republicans, 01:26.498 --> 01:30.564 54 Democrats running for 24 offices. 01:30.564 --> 01:33.364 County-wide, that's 11 positions. 01:33.364 --> 01:38.331 Only one of those county-wide races is one that does not have 01:38.331 --> 01:41.564 an incumbent where you have new folks running and there's going 01:41.564 --> 01:44.598 to be a new person in that office and that is for criminal 01:44.598 --> 01:45.798 court clerk. 01:45.798 --> 01:50.664 Six of the ten incumbents are running unopposed in their 01:50.664 --> 01:51.764 primaries. 01:51.764 --> 01:55.498 On the County Commission, all 13 County Commission seats are up 01:55.498 --> 01:56.764 for election this year. 01:56.764 --> 01:58.831 And there's another twist to it. 01:58.831 --> 02:00.498 These are new districts. 02:00.498 --> 02:04.598 The County Commission has gone to a set of 13 single member 02:04.598 --> 02:05.698 districts. 02:05.698 --> 02:10.498 Of that 13, you're going to have a majority of new members. 02:10.498 --> 02:13.598 You're going to have seven new members on the Shelby County 02:13.598 --> 02:15.031 Comission. 02:15.031 --> 02:18.864 Only one county commissioner, Terry Roland, 02:18.864 --> 02:22.998 has no opposition of any kind and was effectively re-elected 02:22.998 --> 02:26.598 at the filing deadline for the candidates. 02:26.598 --> 02:28.698 And so let's talk a little bit about who's not up. 02:28.698 --> 02:30.198 No city mayor? 02:30.198 --> 02:31.198 No. 02:31.198 --> 02:32.498 No city council? 02:32.498 --> 02:33.498 No. 02:33.498 --> 02:34.498 That's next year. 02:34.498 --> 02:35.498 Next year -- okay. 02:35.498 --> 02:37.498 Legislators -- state legislators? 02:37.498 --> 02:39.731 Comes in August when you'll have the primaries for the Tennessee 02:39.731 --> 02:40.864 State Legislator. 02:40.864 --> 02:42.964 You'll have the Congressional primaries, 02:42.964 --> 02:46.298 the U.S. Senate primary for governor. 02:46.298 --> 02:47.298 Okay. 02:47.298 --> 02:49.298 And then what about county-wide office, 02:49.298 --> 02:50.298 like assessor, trustee? 02:50.298 --> 02:51.298 Those up this year? 02:51.298 --> 02:52.298 Yes. 02:52.298 --> 02:53.298 Those are all up? 02:53.298 --> 02:54.298 They're on the ballot. 02:54.298 --> 02:55.298 Okay. 02:55.298 --> 02:57.298 Alright, so with that sort of lay of the land, 02:57.298 --> 02:59.298 we'll try to kind of dig in to some of this. 02:59.298 --> 03:01.298 And let me just start with a real basic question. 03:01.298 --> 03:02.298 I introduced you first, Bryan. 03:02.298 --> 03:03.298 I'll start with you, Justin. 03:03.298 --> 03:05.298 What are your, you know, for the Repubicans -- what are your 03:05.298 --> 03:06.298 major goals? 03:06.298 --> 03:07.298 What are your major themes? 03:07.298 --> 03:09.298 If you could talk about that across a really diverse set of 03:09.298 --> 03:10.298 elected officers. 03:10.298 --> 03:13.831 Well first of all, I just wanted to say thanks for having a 03:13.831 --> 03:15.531 program on a local primary. 03:15.531 --> 03:18.531 Unfortunately but frankly, this local primary every four years 03:18.531 --> 03:22.231 that is in a non-presidential year is typically one of the 03:22.231 --> 03:25.231 lowest turnout elections that we have in the cycle. 03:25.231 --> 03:28.598 So we really appreciate the opportunity to be here talking 03:28.598 --> 03:30.931 about this elections because it is important. 03:30.931 --> 03:34.631 And when you're looking past the primary for the local county 03:34.631 --> 03:37.664 Republican party, what we're looking at in August is 03:37.664 --> 03:41.331 presenting the voters of this county with a set of candidates 03:41.331 --> 03:42.698 that are serious leaders. 03:42.698 --> 03:45.364 We have some serious challenges in this county. 03:45.364 --> 03:48.398 And I don't think anybody's really gonna say otherwise. 03:48.398 --> 03:51.398 But I believe the Republican candidates that will be 03:51.398 --> 03:54.431 presented in August will present various serious leaders to 03:54.431 --> 03:56.431 address those various serious challenges. 03:56.431 --> 03:58.431 Again just for the general themes, 03:58.431 --> 04:00.464 I mean you have more folks running. 04:00.464 --> 04:04.131 But what are the Democratic themes that you are trying to 04:04.131 --> 04:06.831 get across in this wide range of offices? 04:06.831 --> 04:10.531 Well as Justin just said, with this not being a presidential 04:10.531 --> 04:12.864 year, the turn out is significantly low. 04:12.864 --> 04:15.198 We've been looking at the voting trends, 04:15.198 --> 04:16.231 the numbers for.. 04:16.231 --> 04:19.231 We're actually looking at the past 18 election cycles. 04:19.231 --> 04:23.798 And we anticipate maybe 40,000 to participate in the primary 04:23.798 --> 04:24.798 election. 04:24.798 --> 04:28.064 And it's kind of sad with the population of Shelby County 04:28.064 --> 04:30.364 being 900-and something odd thousand. 04:30.364 --> 04:33.998 So basically what we are doing, we're trying to engage in people 04:33.998 --> 04:36.864 in our Democratic community, get them out to the polls, 04:36.864 --> 04:39.931 let them know the significance of their voice being heard. 04:39.931 --> 04:43.164 Because of their voice, if they don't come to the polls and 04:43.164 --> 04:45.164 vote, their vote goes on deaf ears. 04:45.164 --> 04:48.798 And right now, the Republicans are the majority. 04:48.798 --> 04:51.064 They hold most of the county offices. 04:51.064 --> 04:53.064 So we want to take some of the leadership back in Shelby 04:53.064 --> 04:54.064 County. 04:54.064 --> 04:55.064 Alright, Bill? 04:55.064 --> 04:57.198 Four years ago.. 04:57.198 --> 04:59.298 And Bryan, you made reference to this. 04:59.298 --> 05:03.664 The Republicans took every county-wide office that was on 05:03.664 --> 05:04.664 the ballot. 05:04.664 --> 05:07.698 And so here we are four years later with all of those offices 05:07.698 --> 05:13.864 plus Shelby County Assessor on the ballot after a change to get 05:13.864 --> 05:16.098 it on this same election cycle. 05:16.098 --> 05:17.931 And the clerks -- right, right. 05:17.931 --> 05:24.731 So what do you tell the candidates? 05:24.731 --> 05:28.298 Or what did you tell them going in to the filing deadline in 05:28.298 --> 05:33.464 terms of what the candidates for the Democratic party need to do 05:33.464 --> 05:37.964 going in to this election to not have that happen again? 05:37.964 --> 05:38.964 Unity. 05:38.964 --> 05:42.098 This is what I ran on when I ran for chair. 05:42.098 --> 05:45.531 And that's the message I send out to the party. 05:45.531 --> 05:48.631 We're stronger unified and we're weaker as we're divided. 05:48.631 --> 05:53.098 So typically what we want to do, who ever comes out the primary, 05:53.098 --> 05:56.531 we want them to land their support behind the Democratic 05:56.531 --> 05:57.531 nominee. 05:57.531 --> 05:59.631 In the past, people tend to get upset. 05:59.631 --> 06:02.731 If someone loses, they have their supporters frowning upon 06:02.731 --> 06:03.764 the Democratic nominee. 06:03.764 --> 06:06.531 But ultimately at the end of the day, 06:06.531 --> 06:07.564 we're all Democrats. 06:07.564 --> 06:11.664 And we want to stand behind the Democratic nominee in going to 06:11.664 --> 06:13.064 the general election. 06:13.064 --> 06:17.098 And Justin, what do you tell your cadidates who are for the 06:17.098 --> 06:21.598 most part, the incumbents in these county-wide offices going 06:21.598 --> 06:23.598 in to this election four years later? 06:23.598 --> 06:28.631 Well I think being an incumbent, you do have the advantage of -- 06:28.631 --> 06:31.598 and in the case of the Republican incumbents, 06:31.598 --> 06:35.764 talking about a very positive record that they have set forth 06:35.764 --> 06:36.998 over the past four years. 06:36.998 --> 06:39.664 But not only talking about the record but also talking about 06:39.664 --> 06:42.598 their vision for their office for the next four years as well. 06:42.598 --> 06:45.298 So those that are running the contestant primaries, 06:45.298 --> 06:47.731 I think that gives them a good opportunity to go ahead and 06:47.731 --> 06:52.798 begin to lay that vision out whether it's an incumbent or not 06:52.798 --> 06:55.731 incumbent for what their vision would be for their office if 06:55.731 --> 06:58.398 they get the party's nomination in May. 06:58.398 --> 07:01.764 Bryan, you had an executive committee meeting last night 07:01.764 --> 07:05.364 where -- on Thursday night if you're watching this show on 07:05.364 --> 07:06.364 Saturday or Sunday. 07:06.364 --> 07:10.398 You had an executive committee meeting and it was again where 07:10.398 --> 07:14.731 this theme of party loyalty came in. 07:14.731 --> 07:16.698 How do you.. 07:16.698 --> 07:22.664 How does your party deal with candidates or supporters or 07:22.664 --> 07:26.831 politicos who identify as Democrats but may have strayed 07:26.831 --> 07:30.298 from the party line or actually supported Republicans? 07:30.298 --> 07:33.964 Typically in the past, I think it's been overlooked. 07:33.964 --> 07:37.198 But this year, we're not gonna tolerate that. 07:37.198 --> 07:40.831 We had three individuals who attended a Republican fundraiser 07:40.831 --> 07:44.898 and we have our own candidate who's running opposing Jimmy 07:44.898 --> 07:45.898 Moore. 07:45.898 --> 07:46.898 That's who it was. 07:46.898 --> 07:50.831 And basically, a few individuals were censored last night as a 07:50.831 --> 07:53.364 result of the fundraiser. 07:53.364 --> 07:55.364 Basically perception is everything. 07:55.364 --> 07:57.398 And my code of ethics.. 07:57.398 --> 08:01.264 If you violate our values of Demoratic principles by 08:01.264 --> 08:03.864 supporting, endorsing, raising money for Republicans, 08:03.864 --> 08:05.598 you can be censored. 08:05.598 --> 08:08.164 And that's what happened last night. 08:08.164 --> 08:09.464 Do you have.. 08:09.464 --> 08:12.631 Do Republicans have the same objection to that? 08:12.631 --> 08:15.531 Do you censor your members if they're raising money or 08:15.531 --> 08:18.764 supporting other Democratic candidates? 08:18.764 --> 08:20.764 Well there's two things at work, Eric. 08:20.764 --> 08:25.031 And it can be somewhat of a difficult line to walk. 08:25.031 --> 08:28.431 And one side, Chariman Carsons point, 08:28.431 --> 08:31.598 there certainly is a very important role that the 08:31.598 --> 08:33.031 two-party system plays. 08:33.031 --> 08:35.031 And those lines have to be maintained. 08:35.031 --> 08:39.231 And when it comes to executive, county executive committee 08:39.231 --> 08:42.731 members, there are certain rules there when it comes to not 08:42.731 --> 08:45.731 publically crossing party lines and things like that. 08:45.731 --> 08:48.331 But that being said, Shelby County, 08:48.331 --> 08:50.564 whether you're Republican or you're a Democrat, 08:50.564 --> 08:54.231 you not only need your base to vote for you but you need a 08:54.231 --> 08:56.864 fairly substancial amount of crossover vote. 08:56.864 --> 09:00.764 So while it's important that the party base stay unified, 09:00.764 --> 09:05.231 it's also important to appeal to a very broad base of Shelby 09:05.231 --> 09:06.231 County voters. 09:06.231 --> 09:07.231 But.. 09:07.231 --> 09:09.231 And let me switch back to you, Bryan. 09:09.231 --> 09:11.231 When you talk about censoring people who've raised money or 09:11.231 --> 09:13.931 supported Republican cadidates, I mean there must be some people 09:13.931 --> 09:16.431 listening who say well, you know what's wrong with that. 09:16.431 --> 09:17.431 Why? 09:17.431 --> 09:19.431 You know part of what's disfunctional, 09:19.431 --> 09:21.498 I think people would say, with the U.S. 09:21.498 --> 09:23.898 congress and the congressional presidential relationship is 09:23.898 --> 09:25.531 that so much is party driven. 09:25.531 --> 09:28.964 The matter -- if it's Obama, we're against it. 09:28.964 --> 09:30.964 If it's Republican, we're against it. 09:30.964 --> 09:35.631 And that sort of labeling, kind of visceral resistance or 09:35.631 --> 09:39.131 opposition to one another isn't helpful to solving problems, 09:39.131 --> 09:41.131 some would say, on the federal level. 09:41.131 --> 09:44.298 Aren't you pushing for that on the local level when you say 09:44.298 --> 09:47.331 that you can not support a Republican no matter what just 09:47.331 --> 09:49.898 because of that label, not because of what they stand for, 09:49.898 --> 09:51.431 what they do or who they are? 09:51.431 --> 09:52.431 Absolutely. 09:52.431 --> 09:54.498 But there are several different variables that take place in the 09:54.498 --> 09:55.798 situation like that. 09:55.798 --> 09:58.564 I totally agree that we have to work together to get anything 09:58.564 --> 09:59.564 accomplished. 09:59.564 --> 10:01.764 And that's just based on human nature. 10:01.764 --> 10:06.998 Now the county parties both reserve the right to allow you 10:06.998 --> 10:09.164 to run as a Democrat or as a Republican. 10:09.164 --> 10:10.298 That's not a right. 10:10.298 --> 10:11.698 That is a privilege. 10:11.698 --> 10:15.664 And when you are walking around as a proud Democrat supposedly, 10:15.664 --> 10:18.198 you should wear that with honor, wear that with pride. 10:18.198 --> 10:20.898 Now when it comes to supporting, endorsing, 10:20.898 --> 10:23.698 raising money for Republican and you're supposed to be a 10:23.698 --> 10:25.898 Democrat, that violates our code of ethics. 10:25.898 --> 10:26.898 Yeah. 10:26.898 --> 10:28.898 Now if you want to work with a Democrat to get some things 10:28.898 --> 10:30.898 accomplished across Shelby County, 10:30.898 --> 10:31.898 that's fine. 10:31.898 --> 10:32.898 Once elected. 10:32.898 --> 10:33.898 Exactly. 10:33.898 --> 10:34.898 Right, right. 10:34.898 --> 10:35.898 Because once.. 10:35.898 --> 10:37.898 It seems to me a lot of the time I honestly lose track. 10:37.898 --> 10:39.898 And we cover a lot of local issues and have a lot of 10:39.898 --> 10:41.898 commissioners and city council and so on. 10:41.898 --> 10:43.898 But we're talking about county offices. 10:43.898 --> 10:45.898 I lose track of Republican versus Democrat. 10:45.898 --> 10:47.898 And often it seems to break down of suburban versus urban. 10:47.898 --> 10:50.798 Now more often than not, you know it's Democrat in the urban 10:50.798 --> 10:54.564 districts and it's Republican in the outer districts. 10:54.564 --> 10:56.898 But isn't that more important? 10:56.898 --> 10:59.698 For the average person, those are the fights are suburban 10:59.698 --> 11:00.698 versus urban. 11:00.698 --> 11:01.698 Yeah, basically it is. 11:01.698 --> 11:03.698 Most of the issues on a local level. 11:03.698 --> 11:06.698 It really doesn't come down to Democrat or Republican. 11:06.698 --> 11:08.698 We all want the same thing for Memphis, 11:08.698 --> 11:09.698 a more progressive Memphis. 11:09.698 --> 11:10.698 We want to edge crime. 11:10.698 --> 11:11.698 We want better health care. 11:11.698 --> 11:13.698 We want better jobs, more employment for the people of 11:13.698 --> 11:14.698 this community. 11:14.698 --> 11:16.698 And that's not a Democratic or Republican issue. 11:16.698 --> 11:17.698 It's a human rights issue. 11:17.698 --> 11:19.698 So basically it doesn't come down to Democratic or 11:19.698 --> 11:20.698 Republican. 11:20.698 --> 11:21.698 Yeah, yeah. 11:21.698 --> 11:22.698 And I would agree with that. 11:22.698 --> 11:26.598 I think especially at the local level and as you work your way 11:26.598 --> 11:28.898 down from the federal, state and on to the local level, 11:28.898 --> 11:31.631 I do think that party labels when it comes to general 11:31.631 --> 11:36.264 election time lose somewhat of their definition as they may 11:36.264 --> 11:38.831 have at the national or even state level. 11:38.831 --> 11:42.198 Again though, there is a role that the two party system plays 11:42.198 --> 11:44.031 even at our local elections. 11:44.031 --> 11:48.364 But going back to the broad base of, 11:48.364 --> 11:50.898 you know, reaching out and attracting that broad base of 11:50.898 --> 11:54.431 voter support is important for both -- candidates in both 11:54.431 --> 11:55.431 parties. 11:55.431 --> 11:57.764 Let's focus on a couple of different races for a second 11:57.764 --> 12:01.264 here. 12:01.264 --> 12:03.264 Talk about the County Commission. 12:03.264 --> 12:05.264 Bill mentioned at the opening that we've got this change where 12:05.264 --> 12:06.264 it's singlemen member district. 12:06.264 --> 12:08.264 People who don't know -- a certain number of the positions, 12:08.264 --> 12:10.864 you can correct me here Bill, were super districts. 12:10.864 --> 12:11.864 Right? 12:11.864 --> 12:14.431 Yeah, super districts are multimember districts where 12:14.431 --> 12:19.498 in one district, you elected three commissioners in that one 12:19.498 --> 12:20.498 district. 12:20.498 --> 12:23.164 So now it's you divvy up the county and there's one in each. 12:23.164 --> 12:24.398 How does that change? 12:24.398 --> 12:25.398 We'll start with you. 12:25.398 --> 12:27.398 How does that change things for you? 12:27.398 --> 12:29.398 Does that create opportunities for Republicans that you want to 12:29.398 --> 12:30.398 take advantage of? 12:30.398 --> 12:31.398 Is it.. 12:31.398 --> 12:32.398 Were you opposed to that? 12:32.398 --> 12:35.831 What was your take on this shift in the way the seats are drawn? 12:35.831 --> 12:39.664 Well going back to when this new system was proposed, 12:39.664 --> 12:44.598 there was some discussion within Republican circles as to which 12:44.598 --> 12:46.864 plan or which system is adopted. 12:46.864 --> 12:50.664 But the plan that we have now I think does present some 12:50.664 --> 12:54.898 opportunities if for no other reason that the geographic 12:54.898 --> 12:57.398 boundaries of the district are smaller. 12:57.398 --> 13:01.631 And, at least in theory, you don't have as many people to 13:01.631 --> 13:04.031 reach in order to be victorious on election day. 13:04.031 --> 13:07.798 So I do think it presents some opportunities that maybe not 13:07.798 --> 13:10.364 have been there in the multimember district structure. 13:10.364 --> 13:11.764 And let me just start. 13:11.764 --> 13:13.864 Were you in favor personally or was the Democratic party in 13:13.864 --> 13:15.864 favor of going to the single member districts? 13:15.864 --> 13:17.864 Or did you guys have a position? 13:17.864 --> 13:18.864 What do you think? 13:18.864 --> 13:20.864 How does that change the dynamic? 13:20.864 --> 13:22.864 I think it gives us an advantage and an opportunity to serve the 13:22.864 --> 13:25.764 constituency in a better capacity with it not being as 13:25.764 --> 13:26.831 many people within the district. 13:26.831 --> 13:30.064 It gives the person who represents that district a 13:30.064 --> 13:33.664 better opportunity to reach out to those people in his 13:33.664 --> 13:36.898 constituency, help them better with their needs and whatever 13:36.898 --> 13:39.064 they made need in that district. 13:39.064 --> 13:40.064 Okay, Bill? 13:40.064 --> 13:43.398 We should also note that five of the commission seats, 13:43.398 --> 13:46.631 the elections will effectively be decided with the primaries 13:46.631 --> 13:50.231 because there's no one running in the companion primary and 13:50.231 --> 13:52.231 there's no independent candidates. 13:52.231 --> 13:55.998 So we know right off the bat that of the 13 seats, 13:55.998 --> 13:58.131 two of them will be Republican. 13:58.131 --> 14:02.731 Three of those seats will be Democrats by virtue of one side 14:02.731 --> 14:05.998 having candidates in the primary and the other side not having 14:05.998 --> 14:06.998 cadidates in it. 14:06.998 --> 14:11.964 With that in mind, how many votes are we talking about that 14:11.964 --> 14:18.431 will be in play in each of these districts? 14:18.431 --> 14:22.431 How many voters will likely decide the winners and the 14:22.431 --> 14:24.164 losers per district? 14:24.164 --> 14:26.164 On the County Commission? 14:26.164 --> 14:27.164 Yes. 14:27.164 --> 14:29.231 Typically a few thousand turn out on those districts. 14:29.231 --> 14:30.231 Am I right, Justin? 14:30.231 --> 14:31.231 Yeah. 14:31.231 --> 14:33.231 Maybe two- or three-thousand people turn out. 14:33.231 --> 14:35.231 See, it's amaing really because I get -- and I'm sure you guys 14:35.231 --> 14:36.231 get. 14:36.231 --> 14:38.231 I know Bill gets your just dinner conversation when you're 14:38.231 --> 14:39.231 out or whatever. 14:39.231 --> 14:41.231 And people talk about, you know, why does this happen or why 14:41.231 --> 14:43.231 doesn't that happen or, you know, 14:43.231 --> 14:45.231 complain about some local issues -- taxes, 14:45.231 --> 14:46.231 schools or whatever. 14:46.231 --> 14:47.231 And it really does. 14:47.231 --> 14:48.231 I mean it's, what? 14:48.231 --> 14:50.231 -- a million people in the greater area, 14:50.231 --> 14:52.231 however many people in Shelby County. 14:52.231 --> 14:54.964 And you've got 1,000 people affecting huge change. 14:54.964 --> 14:57.198 I mean there's a huge amount of power if you look at the last 14:57.198 --> 14:58.198 three years. 14:58.198 --> 15:00.198 What happened with schools, what didn't happen with 15:00.198 --> 15:02.198 consolidation, whatever you think about them. 15:02.198 --> 15:05.231 huge issues that affect the future of the county decided by 15:05.231 --> 15:07.898 single digit percentage of the population. 15:07.898 --> 15:10.598 Well and what's really unfortunate as Bryan alluded to 15:10.598 --> 15:13.098 earlier, we have a county of almost a million people. 15:13.098 --> 15:16.798 And when you divide that by 13, you know you're looking at a 15:16.798 --> 15:19.331 little bit under 100,000 people per district. 15:19.331 --> 15:23.031 But you know a lot of these, especially these primary 15:23.031 --> 15:26.364 elections where you've got especially more than two people 15:26.364 --> 15:30.464 running, you know the person who wins those primary elections may 15:30.464 --> 15:34.164 not have more than two- or three-thousand votes across this 15:34.164 --> 15:35.298 entire large district. 15:35.298 --> 15:36.298 Yeah. 15:36.298 --> 15:39.398 Let's go to another race which is the district attorney. 15:39.398 --> 15:42.731 Amy Weirich, I think, is running unopposed -- Republican, 15:42.731 --> 15:44.731 the incumbent district attorney. 15:44.731 --> 15:47.198 Joe Brown, famously of the reality tv show, 15:47.198 --> 15:48.198 is running. 15:48.198 --> 15:49.364 Let's start with you. 15:49.364 --> 15:54.031 Your take on maybe Joe Brown's candidacy, 15:54.031 --> 15:56.898 specifically but also crime and the approch to crime and crime 15:56.898 --> 15:57.898 fighting. 15:57.898 --> 15:59.898 I think like you said before, everyone agrees we want to lower 15:59.898 --> 16:00.898 the crime rate. 16:00.898 --> 16:05.464 What does Judge Brown bring that Amy Weirich isn't bringing right 16:05.464 --> 16:06.464 now? 16:06.464 --> 16:08.464 Well Joe Brown, he would bring a lot of things to the table. 16:08.464 --> 16:11.598 He's a pulverizing figure. 16:11.598 --> 16:14.864 In the past in his career as being a judge as well as a 16:14.864 --> 16:17.098 prosecutor, and may I mention he was the first 16:17.098 --> 16:21.164 African-American prosecutor here in the city of Memphis. 16:21.164 --> 16:23.831 His judgements and rulings were kind of unorthodox and they kind 16:23.831 --> 16:24.864 of were controversial. 16:24.864 --> 16:27.298 And that's how he ended up getting the show. 16:27.298 --> 16:28.598 He's a guy of integrity. 16:28.598 --> 16:32.398 He says what he thinks. 16:32.398 --> 16:35.231 And I think he really would bring a lot of change to Shelby 16:35.231 --> 16:36.231 County. 16:36.231 --> 16:38.364 And his celebrity will bring a lot of excitement. 16:38.364 --> 16:41.964 And I think the people of the communtiy would gravitate 16:41.964 --> 16:43.798 towards this election. 16:43.798 --> 16:46.731 I think Republicans and Democrats alike will get 16:46.731 --> 16:49.131 involved based on that. 16:49.131 --> 16:51.631 Amy Weirich -- why does she deserve another term? 16:51.631 --> 16:54.064 Well with all due respect to Judge Brown, 16:54.064 --> 16:55.331 Amy Weirich is not a celebrity. 16:55.331 --> 16:56.531 She's a prosecutor. 16:56.531 --> 16:59.298 And she's been a prosecutor all of her professional career. 16:59.298 --> 17:02.698 And there's obviously serious challenges. 17:02.698 --> 17:04.664 And it's kind of like I mentioned earlier. 17:04.664 --> 17:06.898 But you want to talk about a leader who's ready to meet those 17:06.898 --> 17:08.164 challenges, Amy Weirich is. 17:08.164 --> 17:10.798 And she's proven that in the last three years since she's 17:10.798 --> 17:11.864 been in office. 17:11.864 --> 17:16.364 And I think that she is one of those who again gets that broad 17:16.364 --> 17:19.731 base of support across and frankly across party lines as 17:19.731 --> 17:22.764 well -- Republican and Democrat all across the county. 17:22.764 --> 17:25.464 I think we'll see that again in August. 17:25.464 --> 17:29.198 To what degree do you think the race for district attorney 17:29.198 --> 17:33.231 general and a few others, the race to come in August for 17:33.231 --> 17:37.531 juvenile court judge -- to what degree do each of you think that 17:37.531 --> 17:42.164 this indicates that we're going to be talking a lot about how 17:42.164 --> 17:47.031 the criminal justice system works and whether it needs to 17:47.031 --> 17:51.298 change to some degree or whether we need to keep doing 17:51.298 --> 17:52.364 the same things we've been doing? 17:52.364 --> 17:55.964 To what degree is criminal justice and our system here 17:55.964 --> 17:58.531 locally going to be an issue? 17:58.531 --> 17:59.531 I think it's an issue. 17:59.531 --> 18:01.564 And I think we most definitely need change. 18:01.564 --> 18:03.998 If you look at our crime statistics here across Shelby 18:03.998 --> 18:06.531 County, it's kind of embarrassing. 18:06.531 --> 18:08.831 Now that's not my area of expertise. 18:08.831 --> 18:10.064 But I know one thing for sure. 18:10.064 --> 18:12.864 If we continue to try the exact same thing we've been trying, 18:12.864 --> 18:13.964 we'll get the same results. 18:13.964 --> 18:14.998 And that's called insanity. 18:14.998 --> 18:17.664 So we want to get the most person who's of the -- best 18:17.664 --> 18:20.631 person, the candidate that's qualified for the seat to get in 18:20.631 --> 18:23.464 and do some thigns different around Shelby County so our 18:23.464 --> 18:26.864 crime statistics can reduce. 18:26.864 --> 18:29.198 Well I think a lot of the problems that we have in this 18:29.198 --> 18:30.198 county are long term. 18:30.198 --> 18:33.331 They have not been in place for four years or even eight years 18:33.331 --> 18:34.331 for that matter. 18:34.331 --> 18:36.431 They've been in place for many years. 18:36.431 --> 18:40.998 And I think that progress has been made on a number of fronts 18:40.998 --> 18:48.731 and I think will continue to be made if the current leaders stay 18:48.731 --> 18:51.064 in place and are allowed to continue to make the progress 18:51.064 --> 18:52.064 that they've been making. 18:52.064 --> 18:53.064 Bill? 18:53.064 --> 18:56.064 Some of the other races, the candidates for clerk, 18:56.064 --> 18:58.064 whether they're Democrats or Republicans, 18:58.064 --> 19:00.931 always have a hard time with voters because the jobs are 19:00.931 --> 19:02.564 administrative jobs. 19:02.564 --> 19:06.031 So the first thing that a voter usually asks a candidate for a 19:06.031 --> 19:08.998 clerk is what does that office do. 19:08.998 --> 19:11.831 And the second question is usually that's something we 19:11.831 --> 19:14.364 actually elect instead of it being appointed. 19:14.364 --> 19:17.398 So how important are the clerks races? 19:17.398 --> 19:21.931 The criminal court clerk, circuit court clerk -- how 19:21.931 --> 19:27.764 important are those positions to what happens in our system of 19:27.764 --> 19:28.764 justice? 19:28.764 --> 19:29.764 Justin, I'll go with you first. 19:29.764 --> 19:30.798 They're very important. 19:30.798 --> 19:34.498 And like I said, I don't think they get the attention that they 19:34.498 --> 19:35.498 deserve. 19:35.498 --> 19:38.098 The so-called down ballot races a lot of time are a lot of 19:38.098 --> 19:41.598 times, some people don't even vote in those races. 19:41.598 --> 19:43.964 They'll go with the top of the ticket, 19:43.964 --> 19:47.531 so to speak, for the D-A's race or the county mayor's race, 19:47.531 --> 19:48.531 the sheriff's race. 19:48.531 --> 19:51.398 And then they'll stop voting because they don't know who 19:51.398 --> 19:52.398 these candidates are. 19:52.398 --> 19:55.864 And I think that's a big mistake because they really oversee the 19:55.864 --> 19:58.831 administration of our court system and in terms of making 19:58.831 --> 20:01.798 sure that the documents make their way through the system 20:01.798 --> 20:02.798 efficiently. 20:02.798 --> 20:05.098 There's a lot of expense that is involved in that. 20:05.098 --> 20:08.664 And it is important that those various offices are run in an 20:08.664 --> 20:11.631 efficient matter, which result in cost savings for the tax 20:11.631 --> 20:12.631 payers. 20:12.631 --> 20:13.631 Bryan? 20:13.631 --> 20:14.631 Yeah, absolutely. 20:14.631 --> 20:16.331 I agree with him as well. 20:16.331 --> 20:18.864 Thsoe offices are very significant as far as record 20:18.864 --> 20:20.864 keeping the filings of various documents of this city that are 20:20.864 --> 20:21.864 very important. 20:21.864 --> 20:23.864 So we need someone that's competent. 20:23.864 --> 20:25.898 And I think a lot of times, as you said, 20:25.898 --> 20:29.464 it's a significant amount of drop off that we have that we've 20:29.464 --> 20:32.131 been looking at when we study the voting trends. 20:32.131 --> 20:36.298 People do tend to vote at the top of the ticket and they drop 20:36.298 --> 20:39.564 off or they skip over certain races when they don't actually 20:39.564 --> 20:43.131 know what that office does, what it entails or if they don't 20:43.131 --> 20:45.464 recognize a name on the ballot. 20:45.464 --> 20:47.464 And that's something we need to change. 20:47.464 --> 20:48.598 I want to come back to that. 20:48.598 --> 20:51.164 But we're still talking about courts and so on. 20:51.164 --> 20:53.364 Juvenile court -- it is, I guess, 20:53.364 --> 20:55.898 officially a non-partisan position. 20:55.898 --> 20:58.664 But I believe that the Republicans have said they're 20:58.664 --> 21:03.198 supporting Dan Michael and that the Democrats are supporting 21:03.198 --> 21:04.198 Tarik Sugarmon. 21:04.198 --> 21:06.398 There was a lot of criticism a year ago. 21:06.398 --> 21:09.064 Was it the federal courts or the federal government who came in 21:09.064 --> 21:12.998 and said mistreatment of juveniles of African-Americans 21:12.998 --> 21:16.731 being treated, kids being treated much more harshly than 21:16.731 --> 21:17.731 white kids? 21:17.731 --> 21:19.731 I mean there was a lot of problems. 21:19.731 --> 21:21.731 I don't think anyone said there weren't a lot of problems. 21:21.731 --> 21:23.064 Let me start with you. 21:23.064 --> 21:27.231 What does Tarik Sugarmon bring to that job that you would like 21:27.231 --> 21:29.198 to see change now? 21:29.198 --> 21:32.664 Now for one thing, he's an African-American. 21:32.664 --> 21:35.831 He can directly relate to some of those guys, 21:35.831 --> 21:38.198 the children that are going through the process. 21:38.198 --> 21:41.364 And they may listen to him or take heed from him because he 21:41.364 --> 21:44.131 can relate to them and he's of African-American descent. 21:44.131 --> 21:45.898 Also, he brings his expertise. 21:45.898 --> 21:49.331 He's been a judge and he served in the capacity where he's been 21:49.331 --> 21:50.364 helping people for a while. 21:50.364 --> 21:54.298 And so I think he'll do a tremendous job in the seat. 21:54.298 --> 22:00.131 Dan Michael -- you're supporting him in a non-partisan way, 22:00.131 --> 22:02.131 if that's how I should say that. 22:02.131 --> 22:04.864 Well yeah, those are non-partisan races. 22:04.864 --> 22:08.931 It looks like he's going to get a lot of Republican support. 22:08.931 --> 22:10.931 I think I can say that at this point. 22:10.931 --> 22:14.431 The final deadline for those races is not until I guess the 22:14.431 --> 22:15.498 first week of next month. 22:15.498 --> 22:19.231 But I think he's already gathered a lot of Republican 22:19.231 --> 22:20.231 support. 22:20.231 --> 22:22.231 I think, again, he's gonna be one of those candidates that 22:22.231 --> 22:24.231 gathers support across the county. 22:24.231 --> 22:27.631 Judge Michael, he's been there in the juvenile court system for 22:27.631 --> 22:28.631 many years. 22:28.631 --> 22:31.664 And I think he's got the experience to address. 22:31.664 --> 22:34.131 Again, going back to this issue of the challenges that we face. 22:34.131 --> 22:35.164 He has the knowledge. 22:35.164 --> 22:37.431 He has experience to address those challenges, 22:37.431 --> 22:39.764 take them on and do something about them. 22:39.764 --> 22:40.998 Okay, Bill? 22:40.998 --> 22:42.998 Just about four minutes left in show. 22:42.998 --> 22:43.998 Right. 22:43.998 --> 22:45.998 Let's talk about the race at the top of the ballot, 22:45.998 --> 22:49.098 which we haven't gotten to yet and that's the race for mayor. 22:49.098 --> 22:51.164 Really busy on the Democratic side. 22:51.164 --> 22:53.531 We have a pack of three contenders. 22:53.531 --> 22:55.564 Deidre Malone, former county commission chairman. 22:55.564 --> 22:57.598 Steve Mulroy, a current county commissioner. 22:57.598 --> 23:00.664 And also, Kenneth Whalum Junior, former Shelby County Schools 23:00.664 --> 23:01.664 board member. 23:01.664 --> 23:04.731 You've had all three of those candidates at the Democratic 23:04.731 --> 23:05.731 executive committee. 23:05.731 --> 23:09.798 And they didn't really go after each other as much as they went 23:09.798 --> 23:11.798 after the incumbent, Mark Lutrell. 23:11.798 --> 23:14.898 And that's one thing that I'm emphasizing and were pushing 23:14.898 --> 23:15.898 forward. 23:15.898 --> 23:17.898 We want to have good, clean races. 23:17.898 --> 23:20.298 We don't want to have a blood bath. 23:20.298 --> 23:22.698 All three of them are good, formidable, 23:22.698 --> 23:23.698 viable candidates. 23:23.698 --> 23:26.064 I think they'll serve well in that capacity. 23:26.064 --> 23:29.464 And I think that Shelby County needs different leadership at 23:29.464 --> 23:31.464 this time, Democratic leaderhsip. 23:31.464 --> 23:33.464 So whoever comes out the primary, 23:33.464 --> 23:35.464 the Shelby County Democratic party will stand behind them 23:35.464 --> 23:38.031 whole-heartedly and push forward to seeing them through the 23:38.031 --> 23:39.964 general election. 23:39.964 --> 23:40.964 Alright. 23:40.964 --> 23:43.898 Justin, Mayor Lutrell does face opposition in the Republican 23:43.898 --> 23:47.698 primary from Ernie Lunati, a perennial candidate who ahs run 23:47.698 --> 23:50.664 a number of times not only for Shelby County mayor but for 23:50.664 --> 23:52.464 Memphis mayor as well. 23:52.464 --> 23:55.431 So not discounting the Lunati candidacy, 23:55.431 --> 24:01.531 I'm going to say that Lutrell is likely to win that primary. 24:01.531 --> 24:06.398 And what is his challenge in seeking a second term as Mayor? 24:06.398 --> 24:09.298 Well and Bill, going on your assumption on that, 24:09.298 --> 24:15.564 I think that Mayor Lutrell is known as a problem solver. 24:15.564 --> 24:19.531 And sometimes frankly, he gets some criticism on the republican 24:19.531 --> 24:22.831 side for maybe working across the aisle too much in solving 24:22.831 --> 24:23.831 those problems. 24:23.831 --> 24:25.831 And I think people all across Shelby County, 24:25.831 --> 24:28.298 Republicans and Democrats alike, recognize that. 24:28.298 --> 24:30.298 Again going on your assumption about the May primary there, 24:30.298 --> 24:32.298 I think that, you know, he's going to continue to talk about 24:32.298 --> 24:38.298 his vision for Shelby County for the next four years, 24:41.731 --> 24:45.131 what he's done for Shelby County in the past four years and 24:45.131 --> 24:47.564 again, I think he's kind of a very broad base of support in 24:47.564 --> 24:48.564 that effort. 24:48.564 --> 24:53.464 To what degree is his role or his involvement in the 24:53.464 --> 24:58.598 reformation of public education in Memphis and Shelby County 24:58.598 --> 25:00.598 over the last two or three years? 25:00.598 --> 25:04.798 To what degree is that going to be an issue in the general 25:04.798 --> 25:05.798 election? 25:05.798 --> 25:10.198 It will be.. 25:10.198 --> 25:11.864 Hmm.. 25:11.864 --> 25:15.798 Because your group of candidates were unanimous in saying that 25:15.798 --> 25:20.164 Lutrell has not done enough or as much as he could have, 25:20.164 --> 25:22.998 especially with influence in the legislator. 25:22.998 --> 25:23.998 Absolutely. 25:23.998 --> 25:26.198 That will be something to use against him in the platform 25:26.198 --> 25:27.398 along with their vision. 25:27.398 --> 25:29.998 That will be something they incorporated in their campaign. 25:29.998 --> 25:30.998 So, yeah. 25:30.998 --> 25:34.731 And as the head executive for our county, 25:34.731 --> 25:39.931 you know regardless of whatever direct or indirect role that he 25:39.931 --> 25:43.298 had in restructuring our education system here in Shelby 25:43.298 --> 25:48.631 County, I think that he will get credit or perhaps the blame for 25:48.631 --> 25:49.831 whatever issues are. 25:49.831 --> 25:51.031 I think it will be an issue. 25:51.031 --> 25:55.398 But I think he's also again going to the problem-solver idea 25:55.398 --> 25:59.931 that, you know, he realizes the obvious importance of education 25:59.931 --> 26:02.831 and the obvious importance of making it work in this sytem 26:02.831 --> 26:05.164 that continues to play itself out. 26:05.164 --> 26:07.164 I think it's finally starting to solidify some. 26:07.164 --> 26:09.264 But there's still some unanswered questions. 26:09.264 --> 26:12.764 And I think he just wants to see education work for Shelby 26:12.764 --> 26:13.764 County. 26:13.764 --> 26:14.764 Alright. 26:14.764 --> 26:16.764 Justin, thank you for being here. 26:16.764 --> 26:18.764 Bryan Carson, thank you for being here. 26:18.764 --> 26:19.764 Bill Dries. 26:19.764 --> 26:20.764 That's all the time we have. 26:20.764 --> 26:21.764 Join us again next week. 26:21.764 --> 26:22.764 Thanks. 26:22.764 --> 26:25.131 Goodnight. 26:25.131 --> 26:29.131 CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY WKNO-MEMPHIS.