“The Tennessee Nurses Association is pleased to endorse Eric Stewart. We look forward to working with him on legislation impacting the nursing profession and healthcare in our state,” said Laura Beth Brown, MSN, RN, TNA President. “As TNA works toward its goals of increasing the number of registered nurses in schools, enhancing access to healthcare for all citizens, and improving workforce advocacy for Tennessee’s nurses, TNA will maintain its active participation in the development of health policy as it has done for the past 100 years.”

“I am honored and humbled to have the support of the Tennessee Nurses Association, a group that represents such a vital part of our workforce,” said Stewart. “If elected, I will be an advocate for our nurses and health care workers throughout Tennessee. I know that without them, we could not have healthy communities, and I will make sure that their needs are always addressed.”

Founded in 1905, TNA is the only full-service professional organization for the state’s 72,000 registered nurses. The mission of TNA is to promote and protect the registered nurse and advance the practice of nursing in order to assure a healthier Tennessee.

For more information on the Tennessee Nurses Association, visit www.tnaonline.org.

Stewart commented about the endorsement, “It is a great honor to receive the endorsement of Tennessee Teachers.  This group of hard working Tennesseans goes right to the heart of our message of ideas that work for people who work.  I will make sure that the decision makers in Nashville and Washington start listening to the difference makers, the teachers in the classroom.  And with their help we will build a better Tennessee.”

The Tennessee Education Association is the state’s largest professional organization representing over 55,000 elementary and secondary teachers, school administrators, education support personnel, higher education faculty, and students preparing to become teachers.

Winchester, TN –U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis traveled Tennessee’s 14th senate district with Democratic candidate Eric Stewart Saturday October 18 to show his support for Stewart. “Eric Stewart is a man of character who has what it takes to represent our values and fight for our communities in Nashville,” said Davis.  ”I am proud to give him my endorsement and look forward to working with him to keep Tennessee on track for our constituents.” Davis joined Stewart for his 7 county district wide tour. As they made stops in the counties, the two listened to citizens about issues important to them and discussed how they could help.

“We have issues that are area specific but many of them are both district and state wide,” said Stewart. “I will work hard, everyday, in the state senate to see that these issues are addressed and we can build a better Tennessee.” Stewart mentioned recruiting of jobs, available and affordable healthcare, and better education as issues that need to be addressed across the state. He also spoke about road and water projects specific to the area.

Davis agreed with Stewart on the importance of these issues and stated he thought Eric would be best suited to address them.

Stewart made stops in all 7 counties of Tennessee’s 14th senate district. The stops included breakfast at Mary’s Kitchen in Coalmont, Harmon’s Home Plate in Dunlap, the Bledsoe County Courthouse in Pikeville, a cookout for Van Buren County early voters in Spencer, a reception at the law offices of Farrar, Holliman, and Medley in McMinnville, and the Jiffy Burger in Manchester. The tour concluded back in Winchester, 12 hours after they pulled out, with a rally at the campaign headquarters.

The caravan had grown to include people from all counties when it pulled into the rally with about 250 supporters in attendance. Also there to support Stewart’s campaign was Senator Roy Herron of Dresden and Congressman Lincoln Davis. Davis had met the caravan in Dunlap and traveled with Stewart the rest of the way. “This race is very important to the people of the 14th district and Eric is the man who can get the job done.”

Stewart thanked Congressman Davis for his support as well as his wife Judy and children, Ashley and Holt. “This has been a great day.  It is very humbling to see this crowd from all around this senate district.  I appreciate everyone being here tonight, and I would be honored to be your voice in the Tennessee State Senate,” said Stewart.

Early voting is going on now through October 30 and Election Day is November 4.

We have fallen on some tough budget times in Tennessee, but that doesn’t mean we throw the baby out with the bath water.  What we need are leaders who will stand up and work harder and smarter to tighten the state budget the same way we have to tightern our budgets at home.  I have a record of doing this on the Franklin County Commission.  When budget times were tough I worked hard to cut the budget in Franklin County but going straight at the heart of the problem….WASTE not services.  I was the only commissioner to propose cutting the pay of the commission in order to ease the burden on county services such as education, roads, sanitation.  I worked hard to push a resolution through the Franklin County Commission support a tax freeze for our Senior Citizens.  I will do it in Nashville when you give me the opportunity.

Don’t fall for the lies and deceipt.  A vote for Eric Stewart is a vote against a state income tax.

“We had a great turnout for this event. People from all seven counties were in attendance and we feel really good about the core of support we have across this district.” said Stewart.

Also showing their support at the rally were Stewart’s primary election opponents, Senator Steve Roller and Mr. Jim Woodard. “Having Senator Roller and Mr. Woodard not only attend the event but actively endorse our campaign means a lot to me personally. They are both fine men and were great candidates. I appreciate their endorsement and need the help of their supporters. There is no doubt that I am a better candidate today because of the race these two men ran.” Said Stewart

To the many in attendance, Stewart talked about the needs of and opportunities for the seven counties in the district. Road projects that need completing and others that need to be started drew applause from the crowd. Stewart also mentioned the importance of economic development in the area and improving education across the state.

Before thanking everyone, Stewart pointed out some of the differences between himself and republican opponent Mike Niederhauser.

“I believe my experiences have put me more in touch with the people of the 14th district,” Stewart said as he told some of his experiences working hard and raising a family.

Stewart is a small businessman and former County Commissioner from Franklin County. He and his wife, Judy, a public school teacher, have two children, Ashley and Holt. Senate District 14 includes: Franklin, Coffee, Warren, Bledsoe, Grundy, Sequatchie and Van Buren counties.

Eric Stewart, Democratic nominee for the 14th District State Senate seat, says he believes it’s all about values – like the family values his own family instilled in him as he was growing up.  “They’re not only my
biggest supporters,” Stewart said, “they’re also my mentors, my heroes and my friends. I was lucky enough to be brought up in a Christian home. A home where we were taught things like hard work, determination, commitment, dignity, compassion, and we were also taught the word Democrat, by the way. Those values are the reason I’m standing here today.”

Stewart, a Franklin County native, was on hand with incumbent 4th District Congressman Lincoln Davis
and state Sen. Steve Roller, among others, as they gathered with an enthusiastic group of Warren County
Democratic party members at the United Steelworkers Local 1155 Union Hall Thursday night for a unity rally in preparation for the November election.

Stewart thanked the assembled crowd for nominating him to run for the state Senate, then spoke about the
influence of the legislators who came before him who taught him the importance of serving all the people in the 14th District.  “Tonight I’d like to say thank you to folks like Sen. Earnest Crouch, Sen. Jerry Cooper, and, of course, Sen. Steve Roller,” Stewart said.  “The reason I named these three guys is because they knew, as I do, the 14th District seat is much bigger than any one person. It’s much broader than city limits and county
lines. They knew this district as a whole is much stronger, much greater and much more important than just the sum of its parts.”
Stewart went on to say he believes he has the kind of experience, gained as a successful businessman, needed to serve the district well.  “I think my experience has better prepared me to represent hard-working families in this district,” Stewart said, recalling how he started work in his father ’s central heat and air company when he was just a 12-year-old, then making an analogy between public service and running a business.  “It was hard, nasty work,” Stewart said, “but it taught me a lot of lessons. It taught me lessons about how to do a job and how to do it right. It taught me the value of customer service and how you
treat people. That’s what government is folks, it’s customer service. It’s providing the services to the people that they need and want so we can make their lives better. That’s what we do in government.”  Stewart says he understands the plight of the common man, and will base his platform on serving them.  “I know how to get up in the morning and put on my clothes and go to work for my family, to make a living for them and help raise my kids,” Stewart said. “That’s what people in the 14th District do.  That’s what we do – everyone

in this room. Those are the folks I want to represent. I don’t care what county you’re from, I don’t care what color you are, I don’t care what party you’re in. I’m asking for your vote and your support to elect me to be he next state senator from the 14th District.”

That is why I believe we need to ensure that the families in our district and throughout Tennessee have safe, affordable water to drink and use. It is imperative that we provide an infrastructure for our rural counties to effectively grow and prosper.  As your state senator, I will work together with all of our counties to formulate a long-term regional plan that will help provide water to rural areas.  This is an important step that I believe is necessary to begin building stronger rural economic growth, industrial development and overall improvement in the quality of life for thousands of Tennesseans. 

This meeting was very informative, very educational, and very, very eye opening.  We were informed that last year, in Warren County alone, there were 325 cases of child abuse that were reported and substantiated, not to mention all of those that go unreported and unnoticed.

The theme of this formum was “Not One More.”  We all need to do what we can to make sure that not one more story like little Cheyenne’s has to be told.  Cheyenne was a 6 year old who lived her entire short life under what were apparently torturous conditions.  Cheyenne is no longer with us, but through her story and the thousands of other stories just like hers, we can make a difference.  The essence of the meeting was that we all most train ourselves to be more aware, to be more proactive, and to educate ourselves better about the signs and symptoms of child abuse and child neglect. 

District Attorney General Zavagionnis and all the other panel members and organizers are to be commended for their hard work on this forum and for their committment to putting a stop to child abuse and neglect.  We should all commit ourselves to doing the same.  If we work together from the State House, to the Courthouse, to our own house, we can make a difference and save the lives of children.

I know, first hand, several teachers who spend hundreds of their own dollars every year to purchase supplies and equipment for their classrooms.  They don’t do this because they have extra money lying around, they do it because they care and want our children to have the best possible educational experience.  We must do everything in our power to give them the tools, the resources, and the support they need to be able to prepare our children for a prosperous future.

Some compare our teachers to our fighting men and women.  If we don’t give them the tools they need to fight the battles, how are we ever going to win the war?  The same holds true of our teachers.  If we don’t give them the tools, resources, and support they need to teach, we can’t expect our children to learn, prosper, and excel.

We hear a lot of talk about surplus lottery money and how it should be used to improve education.  Most of the ideas that have been talked about are excellent, but very few do much to help K-12 education in our state.  I have a plan that will allow some of that surplus to be set aside to help teachers get the supplies and tools they need without having to spend their own money to do it.

This plan would take a portion of the lottery surplus and set it aside in an endowment.  This endowment would be under the control of the Tennessee Department of Education and would allow for direct funding of grants to teachers.  These grants could be used to help fund additional training for teachers as well as buy supplies and equipment that are needed in our classrooms.  Because this program would be administered at the state level and would allow teachers to apply for funding directly, it would eliminate much of the red tape at the local level where training, equipment, and supply dollars are increasingly becoming harder and harder to fit into the budget.

Sure there will be limitations on the amount of each grant, the number of grants awarded, and the type of training, equipment, and supplies that can be purchased, but it is a good starting point.

There is no better way to impact the education of our children but through their teachers.