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Candidates for federal and state legislative posts will compete for their parties’ nominations in tomorrow’s August 1 primary election. Voter turnout in early voting was light despite a contested primary election for the Tennessee 4th District legislative seat being vacated by Rep. John Holsclaw.

Unicoi County businesswoman Renea Jones has raised and outspent her opponent, Elizabethton Mayor Curt Alexander, by a roughly four to one margin. Barring a highly unlikely general election loss, the winner of the August 1 primary will head to Nashville in January to represent Unicoi County and part of Carter County in the seat currently held by John Holsclaw. Holsclaw served five terms before an unsuccessful bid earlier this year for the Carter County Property Assessor’s job once held by his father.

Campaign finance reports show Jones, who operates Jones and Church Farms, raised more than $70,000 before July, in addition to loaning her campaign $45,000. She had spent almost $54,000 through June, leaving her with $66,278.97 going into the campaign’s home stretch.

Alexander reported a $25,000 personal loan to his campaign and an additional $3,050 in donations. That included $2,000 from a political action committee, with the rest coming from four individual donors. Alexander had spent just over $13,000 through June.

In contrast to Alexander’s handful of donors, Jones’ reports – especially the just-submitted second quarter – showed around 90 individual donors with several political and high-profile business names among them.

Alexander said he’s been meeting with constituents and going door-to-door knocking for his campaign efforts.

Jones said she’s been meeting voters in various communities around Unicoi and parts of Carter County.

Both Alexander and Jones said they want to help bring resources to Northeast Tennessee and remind Nashville that the state doesn’t stop in Knoxville.

Jones said it’s important that Nashville recognizes this district.

“It runs from Roan Mountain to Rocky Fork State Park in Unicoi County,” Jones said. “And so we have a lot of natural resources that we want to protect and protect our rural way of life.”

For both candidates, education is at the forefront.

“I know the school voucher bill is going to be a big issue in the legislative session when it starts in January, but it’s not just about the school vouchers,” Alexander said. “It’s about funding for higher education as well. You have to have a trained workforce. If we’re going to bring jobs into this area, you’ve got to have the facilities and the educational resources to educate those people with a trade or skill or a degree in order to be productive members of society.”

Jones said her passion is education as she served on the Unicoi School Board for 12 years and also has been the President of the Tennessee School Board Association.

“I really am passionate about our public schools,” Jones said. “And I think that whatever we look at as a state for education policy, we have to ensure that it doesn’t harm our public schools.”

For Alexander, maintaining manufacturing jobs, fighting inflation, homelessness and drug addiction are other issues he’s advocating for Northeast Tennessee.

“Correcting and fixing and reducing the drug problem in this area, because it destroys family and it doesn’t choose socioeconomic levels. It happens at all levels,” Alexander said.

Alexander said what sets him apart is his track record being the current Elizabethton mayor and having served as a council member as well.

Jones said what sets her apart is her diversified skill set. She serves on the state’s small business advisory board, is chair of Unicoi’s Farm Bureau, and owns her own farm.

Whoever wins this Republican primary on August 1 will advance on to the general election in November unopposed. There is no democrat running for the Tennessee 4th District House seat.

However, the important thing is that you, the voter, go to the polls tomorrow and vote for the candidate that you think will best represent the 4th Legislative District in Nashville. Whether you realize it or not, they are there to represent you on many different fronts  – schools, taxes, good roads and highways, a trained workforce, clean water, and so many other issues. It’s important that you vote in tomorrow’s election, not only for state representatives but for local candidates for school board, tax assessor, etc.

Take time out of your schedule to vote tomorrow. Voting precincts will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.