In the Republican primary that is developing into a crowded field, country singer John Rich is “rollin'” into the next special election in Tennessee with his personal support.
Rich, half of the legendary duo “Big & Rich,” is running for the 7th Congressional District of Tennessee alongside his lifelong friend, state Rep. Jody Barrett. Barrett is seeking to succeed Mark Green, who served as chair of the Homeland Security Committee.
Whether you can believe it or not, I’ve known Jody since our final year of high school. The two of us really went to the same high school,” Rich said to HeadlinesForever Digital during an interview.
We maintained contact and remained close friends. Meanwhile, Jody has served as a state representative in Tennessee for the last four or five years. Jody and I would work together on Tennessee problems; he was on the inside of politics, and I was on the outside, with a huge audience and platform. We would be a formidable team, working together to achieve our goals.
In the Republican primary on October 7, Barrett is one of ten candidates vying to succeed Green.
December 2nd is when the general election will take place. The 7th District is a very conservative district that Trump carried by over 20 points in 2024, so it’s safe to assume that the GOP favorite will prevail.
According to Tennessee Lookout, Americans for Prosperity Tennessee invited only four Republicans—Barrett, Gino Bulso, Lee Reeves, and former Tennessee General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps—to debate their candidacies earlier this week.
Rich informed HeadlinesForever Digital that he has not only publicized the conservative House candidate to Trump, but he has also appeared at campaign events with Barrett.
Regarding Jody, I have really texted the president twice. You will want this man on the Hill, I told him. Well, look who it is—one of your own. With any luck, President Trump will have something to say about this contest, Rich said.
Still, he mentioned the possibility that Trump waits to endorse until after the primary is concluded.
While Barrett has been Trump’s ally on many fronts, he notably distanced himself from the president’s COVID-19 vaccination program, Operation Warp Speed, during Monday’s debate.
“We have millions of Americans now who are vaccine injured, dealing with the results of this vaccine mandate,” Barrett told reporters at the time.
However, Rich mentioned that Barrett has established relationships with Republicans in Tennessee, and he complimented Barrett for his occasional criticism of the state’s establishment GOP’s goals and policies.
“What I love about real conservatives is we will call out people in our own party if we think they’re making a mistake, if they’re on the wrong path,” added Rich. In contrast, those on the left never think twice about blindly following orders. It is clear that Jody will fight for the rights of his people.
He also mentioned, “He’s legit,” later in the conversation. So, we get down to the business of describing the typical conservative, right? This is this man. “And again, it’s pretty rare” to still be friends with someone you’ve known since you were 17 years old when you’re in your early 50s.
The political wing of the House Freedom Caucus, the House Freedom Fund, has also backed Barrett.
“The House Freedom Fund looks for candidates with strong conservative records, like Jody Barrett, who have stood up to Democrats and even his own party when the RINOs get out of line,” explained Allison Weisenberger of the House Freedom Fund to HeadlinesForever Digital.
“Honored” to receive Rich’s support was Barrett’s own word to HeadlinesForever Digital.
John Rich is a legendary country music artist, a dear friend of mine for many years, a loyal Tennessean, and a staunch Trump supporter here in our state. Because he has always spoken his mind and defended conservative principles, Barrett remarked that his endorsement meant a lot.