Lenda SherrellNASHVILLE -- Lenda Sherrell, who lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., in last week's 4th Congressional District race, is exploring running for the Tennessee Democratic Party's top post.
"Like so many across Tennessee, I see it as my duty and responsibility to help our community; that did not come to an end on November 4th," the retired Monteagle accountant and grandmother said Monday in a news release.
A former district director of Organizing for Action, Sherrell said that across Tennessee "there are people who are looking for ways to improve the lives of working families, seniors and youth. That is the spirit that fueled our campaign and that is the momentum that inspired me to consider stepping up to a post where I can continue build on what we accomplished during our race."
DesJarlais beat Sherrell in Tuesday's vote by a 58.33 percent to 35.32 percent margin. But observers say she ran a spirited campaign and the race likely would have been much tighter in the Republican-leaning district if there had not been a national "wave" in favor of the GOP.
Others looking to run for state party chairman are former state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, who lost her bid in last Tuesday's general election to a Republican and Mary Mancini, a Nashvillian and former head of Tennessee Citizen Action, who lost her state Democratic primary in August.
State Party Chairman Roy Herron recently said he would not seek election to another term as head of the party.