NASHVILLE — Fourth Congressional District Democratic nominee Eric Stewart is challenging U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., to three debates over the next month.
Stewart, of Winchester, said in a letter sent to DesJarlais that voters “want the chance to look both candidates in the eyes and sometimes ask tough questions to see if they can trust the man or woman they might vote for.”
The letter follows up Stewart’s public challenge last Thursday after he won the Democratic primary with no opposition.
DesJarlais campaign manager Brandon Lewis said Friday that “after receiving less than 30 percent of the total primary vote it makes sense that he [Stewart] is looking for ways to make himself more known to voters.”
Lewis didn’t say whether DesJarlais, who is from Jasper, would agree to debate Stewart.
The district includes Marion, Sequatchie and Grundy counties.
Andy Sher is a Nashville-based staff writer covering Tennessee state government and politics for the Times Free Press. A Washington correspondent from 1999-2005 for the Times Free Press, Andy previously headed up state Capitol coverage for The Chattanooga Times, worked as a state Capitol reporter for The Nashville Banner and was a contributor to The Tennessee Journal, among other publications. Andy worked for 17 years at The Chattanooga Times covering police, health care, county government, ...
