In this week’s political roundup: Harris backs Collins, Memphis loses a public records case, Lowery weighs in on LeBron, and Green talks medical debt and executive orders.
Leaders of the local Republican and Democratic parties talked about the May Shelby County primary elections on “Behind The Headlines.”
For most of an hour at Springdale Baptist Church in North Memphis, six of the Democratic candidates for Shelby County mayor displayed few differences. Then, the prospect of a new jail to replace the dilapidated and struggling 201 Poplar brought them to life.
Germantown residents will be voting whether to make the town’s mayoral position a full-time gig. However, officials took back earlier statements that a full-time mayor must quit any other full-time job.
“When you look at the board and how it’s made up,” said Jason Morrison, “I thought it would be nice to have some new blood in there and some differing perspectives.”
The lawsuit is the second Marie Feagins has filed against MSCS since she was fired in January 2025.
Another enters the battle in the Republican primary for Wanda Chism’s seat on the Collierville Schools board.
The candidate forum included discussion of a new jail and calls for more transparency in how the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office runs the jail and fights crime.
For some of those seeking a spot on a local school board, the only thing that stands in the way of the November general election is an August ballot.
Here’s what the 16 races for seats in the Tennessee legislature representing Shelby County looked like at the Tuesday deadline to get on the Aug. 6 ballot. Check out the full list for all of the races via a link in the story.
The deadline to file qualifying petitions to get on the August state and federal primary ballot was noon Tuesday, March 10.
The 1st includes DeSoto County. Southaven, Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Oxford, and Tupelo are all in the district.
How are candidates booted from primary ballots? Also in the political roundup, heads butt on the Memphis Safe Task Force, where Lee Harris and Edmund Ford Jr. agreed and recent D.C. votes on Iran air strikes.
While neither has kids in the district, they’ve been involved for many years.
Germantown is saying if the mayor becomes full-time, the elected individual would have to quit their full-time job. However, the referendum on the May 5 ballot doesn’t state such.
All 13 state House incumbents and three state senators representing Shelby County have checked out qualifying petitions for the August ballot. The filing deadline for primary challengers is March 10.
“We’re seriously close to losing our country. If these midterms go the wrong way, we will lose everything we have,” said a U.S. representative speaking at Shelby County’s largest annual fundraiser for the local Republican Party.
Gibson has been on the board for 12 years and was chosen as vice mayor for a ninth time in December.
The Germantown alderman is challenging incumbent Mike Palazzolo, who is seeking a fourth term.
Another Republican claims another County Commission seat. And the busiest primary on the ballot remains the Democratic primary for County Clerk.
The former Democratic state representative is running in the May Republican primary for Shelby County mayor. “I intend to win this race,” he said.
A total of 121 candidates made the deadline to file their qualifying petitions with the Shelby County Election Commission.
Also in the political roundup, Rose says he has a plan for state control after the Task Force; Buckner says the Task Force has a secret; and Smiley says the county mayor has a role to play at the jail.
State party leaders say there will be no hearing at a Saturday meeting on some concerns expressed by local Democrats about whether the former MSCS superintendent is a “bona-fide” Democrat.
May ballot races thick and thin develop ahead of Thursday’s noon deadline, with a warning a final list could take a while.
Halbert also checked out qualifying petitions for two other countywide positions on the 2026 ballot.
Newly filed campaign finance forms show two Shelby County Democratic mayoral candidates with far more financial resources than the rest of the crowded primary.
A well-known Republican candidate for Shelby County mayor has emerged after all: Former state Rep. John DeBerry of Memphis is weighing a bid in the Republican primary for Shelby County mayor.
A local judge ruled that Shelby County commissioners “exceeded their authority” in passing a resolution that placed all nine school board seats on the ballot last fall.