Let’s just cut to the chase… this might not be directly a “Second Amendment” issue but this situation has a long history of impacting efforts to change Tennessee law and public policy to comply with the Second Amendment. So, let’s discuss it.
Those who identify and run as Republicans in Tennessee need to at a minimum vote in line with the party’s adopted Guiding Principles. Those who do not, particularly those who chronically violate the principles, perhaps should be removed from the party on the grounds that they lack party “bone fides”. Sure, they may want to run for office but they can run either as a Democrat or an Independent?
Things like 2nd Amendment, 10th Amendment, 14th Amendment, lower taxes, smaller government, preservation of rights should all be non-negotiable.
Thus, the question is should the TN Republican SEC evaluate the “bona fides” of incumbents? What if they vote as an office holder in violation of the TN GOP’s guiding principles? What if they promise one thing as a candidate and then do another as a legislator?
If bona fides means nothing with respect to declared policy principles, then why have party candidates? Oh, wait, the GOP super majority in the Legislature has refused repeatedly to close the primaries so maybe THOSE Republicans don’t want to exclude Democrats and Progressives from claiming to be bona fide Republicans.
So, let’s consider a recent set of events.
Leading into the August 2024 Republican Primaries, Tennessee Firearms Association interviewed several candidates, including incumbent Republican Senator Todd Gardenhire, with respect to a specific set of questions regarding the Second Amendment. Each of these questions were provided in writing to the candidates in advance of the interview.
We want to thank Senator Gardenhire, who was re-elected and then reappointed by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally to serve as the chairman of the Senate Judiciary, for participating in the interview. (Video of full interview).
For example, the first question concerned the Supreme Court’s Bruen test for Second Amendment constitutionality. The question was “which existing Tennessee laws, if any, do you believe violate the Bruen holding?”
Senator Gardenhire responded “Personally I believe all those laws that we have on our books are unconstitutional based on this court cases.”
Other questions and answers were similar.
For example, question 3 asked whether Tennessee restriction on individuals carrying longarms was constitutional? Prior to the primary, he said no. Watch the shortened video that focuses on question 3. That was prior to the August 2024 primary.
What happen when the issue actually came up in 2025 when a bill was presented in Senate Judiciary, which Sen. Gardenhire was reappointed to chair, recently? Did he vote to repeal a law that he said violated the Second Amendment based on the Breun holding – no (question 1 in full video). Did he vote to repeal the statutes making it a crime to carry a longarm? (question 3)
On April 8, 2025, Sen. Adam Lowe presented SB1227 to Senate Judiciary. The bill would have changed the handgun permits to a firearms permits thus allowing the carry of any firearm by those who have permits. The bill received a tie vote in Senate Judiciary which blocked it from moving forward. Four Republicans on the committee voted for the bill. Two Republicans, Senators Todd Gardenhire and Paul Rose, voted against the bill with two Democrats. Here is the video clip of Senator Todd Gardenhire’s statement and his no vote.
What happened from August 2024 to April 2025? Did the law change? Was there a nuanced change in the substance between the August question and the April proposed legislation? Did Bruen become irrelevant?
We invite Senator Gardenhire to clarify what changed, if anything, in his position on the unconstitutionality of existing Tennessee laws and this one specifically between 2024’s pre-election interview and his April 2025 vote.
Finally, please do not assume that Senator Gardenhire is being highlighted here as anything more than evidence of what his own words and actions reflect.
His vote, even on that committee, does not change the fact that individuals who identify as Republicans hold a super majority in the Tennessee House and Senate. That super majority has existed since 2010. Even if Senator Gardenhire were to vote against every Second Amendment bill that comes up, his voting record cannot serve as the scapegoat for the total failure of the Republican super majority – collectively – to stonewall and block Second Amendment advancements particularly when most if not all of those holding office actually campaigned on assurances that they will and do support the Second Amendment.
Collectively, the Republican super majority in Tennessee’s Legislature fails the relatively low test of “promises made, promises kept.”
Perhaps it is time that the Tennessee Republican State Executive Committee pull out its Guiding Principles which start off with:
The Tennessee Republican Party affirms our belief in one God, the source of certain inalienable rights as prescribed in our Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, and Tennessee Constitution, and we do hereby support and uphold the following guiding principles:
https://tngop.org/tngop-guiding-principles (emphasis added)
U.S. Constitution
1. All Bill of Rights freedoms are absolute and inviolate.
2. We must protect and guarantee our right to keep and bear arms, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and the freedom of assembly.
Perhaps the issue should be long before the primaries. Perhaps the issue should be to apply the Tennessee Republican Party’s own Guiding Principles to each interested candidate to determine whether they are or continue to meet the definition of a ‘bona fide’ Republican.
Perhaps the issue should be addressed long before the primaries. Perhaps the issue should be to apply the Tennessee Republican Party’s own Guiding Principles to each interested candidate to determine whether they are or continue to meet the definition of a ‘bona fide’ Republican.