Tennessee Republican David Hooven has vowed not to be alone with "a member of another sex" if elected to the state's House of Representatives, as "from Presidents to janitors all are tempted." Hooven made the pledge on his official campaign website, where he said that if elected "my primary focus will be to honor God."
On Thursday Hooven secured 100 percent of the vote in the GOP primary for the vacant District 51 Tennessee House seat, receiving 1,514 votes while no other GOP candidate ran against him.
In addition to the District 51 primary battles general elections took place on Thursday for Districts 3, 52 and 86 of the Tennessee House, as well as for the mayoralty of Nashville. The contests in District 52 and 86 saw the re-election of two Democrats who had been expelled from the House after joining a gun control protest inside the building in March.
Hooven made a number of vows on his campaign website, which he solemnly pledged and promised to uphold if elected. These included a promise that "I will never be in a meeting, room or other place with a member of another sex without having another person with me."
He wrote: "Adultery has ruined many a man and the more power or attention the more this attack is ready. From Presidents to janitors all are tempted. As Billy Graham was never in a scandal due to his establishing this principal so shall I."
Graham was an evangelical pastor known for his strict policy on who he would be alone with, which became known as the "Billy Graham Rule."
Hooven also vowed not to serve for more than eight years if elected, and to "have a trusted member/s handle all money I receive." He said this is because "the love of money is the root of all evil. I know I must protect myself from this tempting issue."
The Republican says he wants to "put in place policies that allow a person released from prison to have an advocate to analyze their financial situation." He also wants students and educators to receive new lessons on "financial principles for living," including, "budgeting, savings, debit, taxes, and other life financial issues."
Newsweek has contacted Hooven for comment by email.
Hooven will face Democrat Aftyn Behn in September's general election, after she won her party's primary on Thursday with 5,259 votes, against 4,579 for fellow Democrat and interim state Representative Anthony Davis. The contest is being held to replace Rep. Bill Beck, a 61-year-old Democrat who passed away in June after a heart attack.
Speaking to Newsweek about her GOP opponent, Behn said: "In one of the most progressive districts in Tennessee, the GOP's war on women is alive and well. After winning the Democratic primary, I am now immediately met with an opponent who refuses to be alone in the same room as me. If he's afraid of women now, then he better get ready because more women will be elected in public office this year."
Hooven faces a tough battle against Behn on September 14, with District 51 tending to vote Democrat.
In District 3 interim Republican state Representative Timothy Hill defeated Democrat rival Lori Love, by 2,655 votes to 907, to hold his seat in the state house. The election was called after Republican Representative Scotty Campbell resigned in April, after an investigation found he'd violated the legislature's policy on workplace harassment and discrimination.
The District 52 and District 86 contests saw the re-election of Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two Black Democrats who were expelled from the state house after shouting support for a gun control protest inside the complex on March 30. This followed a mass shooting at a Nashville elementary school, in which three children and three adults were killed. A third Tennessee House Democrat, Gloria Johnson, was also threatened with expulsion but this wasn't carried out. Writing for Newsweek, Johnson later claimed she was treated differently because she is white.
Though Jones and Pearson were later reinstated, Tennessee law required both men to face special elections. Jones defeated Republican Laura Nelson by 5,218 voted to 1,494, while Pearson beat independent Jeff Johnson by 2,439 votes to 157.
Also on Thursday, 12 candidates ran to be the next mayor of Nashville, with Freddie O'Connell and Alice Rolli topping the poll with 27,470 and 20,458 votes respectively. O'Connell and Rolli will contest the seat again in a runoff election on September 14.
Update 08/08/23 8:32 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from Democrat Aftyn Behn.
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