Sam Stockard
Reporter
Sam Stockard is a Nashville-based reporter with more than 30 years of journalism experience as a writer, editor and columnist covering the state Legislature and Tennessee politics for The Daily Memphian.
There are 1058 articles by Sam Stockard :
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October 2018
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State Government Democratic gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean is taking a jab at Republican frontrunner Bill Lee on vouchers, calling him an “extreme” candidate whose policies would hurt public education. -
Education Governor proposes TNReady changes, spending for student laptops
Gov. Bill Haslam, coming off a listening tour for the embattled TNReady test, is proposing a litany of changes for the assessment, including spending to put laptops in the hands of every Tennessee student. -
State Government Lee’s a political ‘outsider,’ but his company does plenty of government work
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee presents himself as a political “outsider.” He’s never run for public office, and he says he’s “never worked for the government.” -
State Government Gubernatorial candidates holding out on laptops for all students
Tennessee’s gubernatorial candidates won’t commit to Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposal to buy laptops for Tennessee students - at an unspecified cost - in an effort to prepare them for the end-of-year test called TNReady. -
State Government Former Republican Sen. Leatherwood faces Democrat Cambron in District 99 House race
Upended by a blue wave in Shelby County’s Aug. 2 election, ex-Register of Deeds Tom Leatherwood is seeking a return to the Legislature, hoping to fill a void left by the late Ron Lollar. -
State Government Kelsey leads Salinas in state employee union poll
Republican state Sen. Brian Kelsey is leading Democratic challenger Gabby Salinas by a wide margin in a recent state employees union poll with a heavy dose of GOP voters.
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November 2018
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State Government Blackburn leading Bredesen in three new polls for U.S. Senate seat
With less than a week left until the Nov. 6 election, Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is leading former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen in three new polls released this week. -
Education Suburban school districts finish high, SCS sees bright side of low ACT scores
Suburban school districts here finished at the top of Tennessee’s ACT scores, while Shelby County Schools came in near the bottom but is seeing improvement among its economically disadvantaged students and has four high schools above the state average of 20.2, its best score ever. -
State Government United Campus Workers endorse Salinas in state Senate race
With less than a week until the state election, the United Campus Workers union is endorsing Democratic candidate Gabby Salinas in the District 31 Senate race. -
State Government Blackburn, Bredesen clash over immigrant caravan but agree on birthright citizenship
The immigrant caravan of thousands of people walking through Mexico to the U.S. border is creeping into Tennessee’s U.S. Senate race and, predictably, putting the candidates at odds in an already contentious race, this time over whether federal troops should be used there. -
State Government Blackburn rallies with Trump; Bredesen speaks to faith leaders
Driving home their final points in the waning days of the U.S. Senate campaign, Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn rallied with President Donald Trump while former Democratic governor Phil Bredesen spoke at an interfaith prayer lunch Sunday, Nov. 4. -
State Government Lee, Dean approach final day at the polls
At nearly every stop, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee recalls a moment in his campaign when he introduced himself to a Cumberland County man and got an unexpected response. -
State Government Lee makes history; Blackburn rolls over Bredesen
Republican Bill Lee roared to victory Tuesday as the next Tennessee governor, making history by becoming the state’s first GOP governor-elect to follow a Republican governor in office. -
State Government Haslam prepares to hand governor’s office keys to Lee
The day after Republican Bill Lee’s landslide win over Democrat Karl Dean, Gov. Bill Haslam said he is committed to making the switch to the governor-elect “the best transition in the history of Tennessee.” -
State Government Kelsey files legislation to expedite ‘Green Alert’ for missing veterans
A day after narrowly winning re-election, state Sen. Brian Kelsey filed legislation designed to speed up searches for missing veterans and active service members who have mental or physical problems. -
State Government Dems see gains, but Haslam calls election ‘mixed’ night
Democrats took a thrashing statewide in the midterm elections as a potential “blue wave” hit a “red wall” in Tennessee. But nationally, the tone was more middle of the road, and Memphis Democrats take solace in making some senatorial history. -
State Government Salinas comes up short on provisional ballots
Senate District 31 Democratic candidate Gabby Salinas, down by 1,520 votes to Republican incumbent Brian Kelsey, is falling well shy of the number of provisional ballots needed to put her on top. -
State Government Gov.-elect Lee recognizes veterans’ service at York VA parade
Gov.-elect Bill Lee, in one of his first public appearances since winning the gubernatorial race, honored the sacrifice of veterans during a Veterans Day parade at the York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro. -
State Government Legislators try to get handle on Lee’s potential policies
Shelby County lawmakers are trying to figure out what direction Gov.-elect Bill Lee will take on everything from criminal justice reform to health care and school vouchers. But at least one legislator says the next governor could face tough sledding with the General Assembly even from those in his own party. -
State Government Three consider running to fill Senate vacancy left by Norris
At least three Shelby Countians are weighing candidacy for a special election to fill the District 32 Senate seat vacated by Mark Norris for a U.S. District Court judgeship. -
State Government State Building Commission approves Megasite contract
With an eye toward prepping the Memphis Regional Megasite for its next potential suitor, the State Building Commission has approved a $500,000 site consulting contract to ensure it doesn’t miss out on another jobs deal. -
State Government Covington’s Rose to enter 32nd District Senate race
Covington businessman Paul Rose is joining the race for the 32nd District Senate seat vacated by Mark Norris, possibly making it a four-person battle for the job. -
Real Estate Shelby sites placed in state industrial development program
Seven Shelby County tracts with industrial development potential are being targeted as part of a state program to build the county’s portfolio of marketable property. -
Education Tennessee education commissioner McQueen leaving for nonprofit group
Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen will leave her post in January to take a job as CEO of a nonprofit organization that helps schools attract and keep top-notch teachers. -
State Government Kelsey entering race for Senate Republican Caucus chair
State Sen. Brian Kelsey is putting his name in the hunt for the Senate Republican Caucus chairmanship, creating a three-person race for the leadership post.
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