Inside Politics - NewsChannel 5 Plus Nashville

Political Strategist Tucker Karnes, Public Affairs for Cooley Public Strategies breaks down the highly contested TN-07 Congressional Race.  Karnes joins host Ben Hall to analyze the dramatic numbers from the special election comparing them to the November 5, 2024 race between Democrat Megan Barry and Republican Mark Green.  With Megan Barry pulling in over 120,000 votes just a year earlier, the Aftyn Behn campaign's primary mission was mobilizing Democratic voters. What other critical factors contributed to a 13 point swing from Republicans in 2024 to 2025?  Which counties delivered the biggest impact?  Will this voting pattern reshape the 2026 mid-terms? What does this mean for District 5's U.S. House seat up in 2026?    Newschannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on Newschannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fiercely competitive TN-07 Congressional race with Democrat Aftyn Behn and Republican Matt Van Epps is underway. But 4 other names will be on the ballot for the General Election, December 2nd. We continue our coverage by introducing you to 3 of the 4 Independent candidates who want your vote to represent District 7 in Washington. Teresa "Terri" Christi, Jon Thorp and Bobby Dodge join host Ben Hall to tell us why you should vote for an Independent candidate. Robert James Sutherby declined our invitation due to a scheduling conflict. All candidates on set believe that most Americans align with their values but Independents are under represented. The 3 candidates tend to skew conservative, but each candidate have distinct differences. All three candidates are disillusioned by a 2 party system and feel those parties have lost touch with constituent issues. Plus hear one candidate's issue with PAC support that he didn't ask for or knew about and who may be behind it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In January 2025, Club for Growth a Washington D.C.-based political action committee issued a stark warning to all State Republicans to support Governor Bill Lee's School Freedom Act. State Representative Jody Barrett who represents Dickson, Hickman and Lewis Counties chose to stand by his constituents and voted "no". Barrett says he is pro-school choice, but "I just didn't like this particular plan. It wasn't going to do enough for the amount of money it was going to cost the state. There were a lot of fiscally responsible questions and responsibility questions." When Barrett ran for the U.S. Representative seat left open by Mark Green, Club for Growth/School Freedom Fund ran approximately $2.5 million dollars in attack ads against Jody Barrett and over $1 million against 3 other anti-school freedom Republicans in Tennessee Legislative primaries. Club for Growth President David McIntosh is taking credit for Jody Barrett's loss in the TN-07 Republican Primary. Barrett warns about the Washington D.C. PAC meddling in Tennessee affairs. "The mask is off. The threat that was made is a clear and open threat that you're gonna do what we tell you to do because we have more resources than you do to make sure you are beat."   Newschannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on Newschannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

District 15 State Senator Paul Bailey (R) sent out a press release urging Governor Lee to fund SNAP benefits for Tennesseans after the federal government shutdown, which halted payments November 1st, affecting more than 690,000 Tennesseans - including 20,635 constituents in district 15.   Bailey's concerns stem from a firsthand look at the crisis during an October visit to a local food bank, where he witnessed empty shelves and overwhelming demand. "Tennessee had reached crisis mode before November 1st." Bailey highlighting how "the elderly and working-class families struggling to make ends meet," and relatives raising children not their own have already exhausted local food pantries.  Tuesday, Governor Lee announced he is directing $5 million dollars in state funding to food banks across Tennessee, with funding coming from TennCare. Previously, the federal government covered half of the $128 million in administrative costs and allocated $145 million in monthly cash benefits to the state.  Under the Big Beautiful Bill Act, Tennessee will now shoulder half of the administrative costs and a portion of the benefit expenses. Bailey acknowledges the $5 million allocation is a good start, but warns it may take up to 2 weeks to fully restore SNAP benefits once the federal shutdown ends.  Tennessee is currently conducting budget hearings to identify spending reductions to comply with the Big Beautiful Bill Act.  Beyond TennCare/Medicaid cuts and the elimination of the ACA healthcare premium subsidies, the most significant federal funding cuts will impact the TANF program which helps low-income families meet basic needs and move toward self-sufficiency, also programs in the Department of Aging and Disability.   Newschannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3   as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.  The episode will air throughout the weekend on Newschannel 5+  Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Republican Primary Winner Matt Van Epps will face Democrat Aftyn Behn December 2nd in the General Election for U.S. Representative for the TN-07 Congressional District. Matt Van Epps returns to Inside Politics to answer more question from host Ben Hall. Van Epps says his experience in the military and small business while still serving National Guard helped him win the primary. Van Epps says his goals if elected will be multifaceted. "Driving down the cost of living, driving our economy, decreasing inflation are all incredibly important and will be a priority on day one." He will also prioritize the military and veterans. "The first bill will be a bill for veterans." He also answered questions about his allegiance to Donald Trump and a possible 3rd term as president, the impact of tariffs on Tennessee farmers, his view on the Epstein files, ACA subsides and SNAP benefits. When asked about his war chest and PAC money, he said he is honored by the support.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democratic Primary Winner Rep. Aftyn Behn will face Republican Matt Van Epps Dec. 2nd in the General Election for U.S. Representative for theTN-07 Congressional District.  Aftyn Behn returns to Inside Politics to answer more questions from host Ben Hall.  Behn touts her campaign as "grassroots energy and not taking Corporate PAC money."  She considers herself an angry social worker who will fight for Tennesseans.  Behn said, "This race is not about left vs right but top vs. bottom."  She is running to "make life affordable for Tennesseans and reverse cuts from the Big Ugly Bill."  Behn says her main priority if elected will be increasing wages, decreasing costs and ensuring and improving our quality of life in Tennessee.  She will work to bring back ACA Marketplace subsides for over 600,000 Tennesseans, restore TennCare, and roll back tariffs that are squeezing farmers to bankruptcy.  Behn says, "If you think things are going well, I'm not your candidate.  If you are upset with the cost of living and the chaos of our federal and state government, then I am your candidate because I will go to Washington to fix it. "See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Chief Development Officer Bob Mendes wraps up his political career in Nashville government, he's taking stock of the key projects that have reshaped Music City over the past decade and a half. The numbers tell a compelling story: the Nashville area generates an approximate 40% of Tennessee's income—a fact that hasn't gone unnoticed by state lawmakers creating ongoing tension between state and city on major development projects. Mendes sees striking parallels between today's East Bank development and The Gulch's transformation. Mendes sees the pace of East Bank's economic development as fast compared to Nashville's historically measured approach, he points to The Gulch as proof that patience pays off. He suggests the East Bank could follow a similar trajectory. During his conversation with host Ben Hall, Mendes touched on several pivotal projects shaping Nashville's future, including the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), Oracle's continued presence in the city, the East Bank Development Authority Board's ongoing work, and the ambitious Music City Loop transit project.   This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nashville’s Chief of Police, John Drake, grew up in Nashville and became a patrol officer in 1988. He has watched how the job has evolved—from the types of crimes patrol officers investigate to the tools they use to make arrests. Drake says his main priorities are reducing crime while maintaining public trust and protecting citizens’ rights. He also weighs in on using the National Guard in American cities to address crime. Overall, Drake notes that crime in Nashville has fallen significantly, with homicides down 30% and nonlethal shootings down 40%. He also discusses the use of license plate readers, the rise in juvenile crime, and the culture within the Nashville Police Department. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the federal government grinding to a halt, Republican Senators and President Trump have not reached a funding deal with Senate Democrats over Healthcare premium subsidies being extended. Congressman John Rose of TN-06 gives us his opinion why the Federal government shutdown occurred. Host Ben Hall also questions him about releasing the Epstein files and his reaction to President Trump saying that the military should use American cities as training grounds. Rose also spoke about his bid for Tennessee Governor in 2026. Rose commented on Marsha Blackburn not accepting his invitation to debate him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With President Trump ordering the National Guard to Memphis to solve the crime problem, questions about how to best use this resource and who will be in charge arise. Representative Antonio Parkinson for Dist. 98 Shelby County gives insight to who is involved with making decisions, what military presence will look like in the city and how the Guard will be used.  Plus, Representative Parkinson also discusses the impact of the Big Beautiful Law on SNAP benefits, housing and state budget.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Politics concludes a 5 week project to introduce you to the candidates who would like to be your U.S. Representative for TN-07. We offered all Democrat and Republican candidates the opportunity to sit down with Ben Hall for an interview before the Primary election. By random drawing after the interviews were completed, we present the final two candidate’s interviews on Friday, September 19. Candidate interviews on this show are: Joe Leurs (R) and Lee Reeves (R). Davidson County Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts answers questions about the special election process. NewsChannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2. Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+ on Sat. at 5:30am & 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am&7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Politics continues a 5 week project to introduce you to the candidates who would like to be your U.S. Representative for TN-07. We offered all Democrat and Republican candidates the opportunity to sit down with Ben Hall for an interview before the Primary election. By random drawing after the interviews were completed, we present the next 3 candidate’s interviews on Friday, September 12. Candidate interviews on this show are: Gino Bulso (R), Vincent Dixie (D), Matt Van Epps (R).  NewsChannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2. Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+ on Sat. at 5:30am & 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am&7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Politics continues a 5 week project to introduce you to the candidates who would like to be your U.S. Representative for TN-07. We offered all Democrat and Republican candidates the opportunity to sit down with Ben Hall for an interview before the Primary election. By random drawing after the interviews were completed, we present the next 3 candidate’s interviews on Friday, September 5. Bo Mitchell (D), Adolph Agbeko Dagan (R), and Stewart Parks (R) are our guests.  NewsChannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2.  Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+ on Sat. at 5:30am & 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am&7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Politics continues a 5 week project to introduce you to the candidates who would like to be your U.S. Representative for TN-07. We offered all Democrat and Republican candidates the opportunity to sit down with Ben Hall for an interview before the Special Election Primary. By random drawing after the interviews were completed, we present the first 3 candidate's interviews on Friday, August 22. Republican Mason Foley, Democrat Aftyn Behn, and Republican Stuart Cooper are our guests on this show.   NewsChannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2. Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+ on Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Politics begins a 5 week project to introduce you to the candidates who would like to be your U.S. Representative for TN-07. We offered all Democrat and Republican candidates the opportunity to sit down with Ben Hall for an interview before the Special Election Primary. By random drawing after the interviews were completed, we present the first 3 candidate's interviews on Friday, August 22. Republican Jody Barrett, Democrat Darden Hunter Copeland and Republican Tres Wittum are our guests on this show.   NewsChannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2. Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+ on Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congressman John Rose, US Representative for TN Dist. 6 is our guest.  After 6 1/2 years at the capitol hill, he is running for governor in 2026.  Inside Politics host Ben Hall asks him about his campaign strategy and how the entrance of Marsha Blackburn will affect the race.  Rose says that the job of governor is like being the CEO of the state of Tennessee.  He says his experience building businesses, managing companies and hiring people will help him to achieve goals and objectives.  He feels a business background is best for the office of governor.  Rose also answers questions about debating Marsha Blackburn and his support from and to President Trump.  He brings up the Jan. 6th storming of the capitol and his unwavering stance about not certifying the 2020 election.   Rose also gives his thoughts about school voucher data, balancing the loss of federal Medicaid money and the State/Nashville relationship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the state comptroller duties and how do they affect the state or a city's budget? How is he involved with state universities and big private industry projects? Jason Mumpower is Tennessee's Comptroller of the Treasury and is our guest on this episode of Inside Politics. He voted in favor to lease The Boring Company state land for free underneath SR41 Murfreesboro Pike. He talks about the project costing taxpayers free or low cost. He visited the Las Vegas loop in March to learn about the Boring Company. What about the rates, timeline and future expansion of the Nashville project? Host Ben Hall also asks Mumpower about TSU's financial situation and the rebuilding of TSU with new trustees and a signed MOU with President Tucker. What is his advice about TSU's properties off campus?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Inside Politics, Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Rachel Campbell joins host Ben Hall as they review the 4 Democratic candidates for the District 7 primary election October 7th and what their plan is to win the congressional seat December 2nd in the general election. Campbell also discusses the Elon Musk Tesla Tunnel that she calls a decision made "behind closed doors...without public comment and input".   She also mentions the exclusion of State Representative Justin Jones from the meeting even though the tunnel affects his district.  Campbell  also talks about the arrest of young democrats after a county commission meeting in Putnam County.  Campbell believes we all need to participate in democracy, have interest in what is happening in our districts, go to county commission and school board meetings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Inside Politics, host Ben Hall welcomes Tennessee State Rep. for House District 59, Caleb Hemmer, to respond to several topics that were discussed on last week's episode with Speaker Cameron Sexton. Topics include the 7th Congressional District race, school vouchers and Nashville's relationship with the legislature. Inside Politics is now a podcast!  Just search "Inside Politics Nashville" wherever you download your podcasts and start listening.A new episode is posted every Friday evening.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this Inside Politics, Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton answers various questions candidly about The East Bank Development . Cameron Sexton serves on the East Bank Authority.  With state investments like the Titan's stadium and TPAC, he is concerned about costs and the lack of decision making power of the East Bank Authority vs. Metro government's control.  Sexton asked:  Does Metro want TPAC in the East Bank Development? Is Metro trying to run out the clock to change the deal? The two also discussed the DCS lawsuit, school voucher tracking, the big beautiful bill impact on Tennessee, the 7th District race and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.