Fitzhugh Challenges Dean's 'Pragmatism'

Democratic contender for Tennessee governor Craig Fitzhugh is challenging the idea of rival Democrat Karl Dean’s “pragmatic” view of coexisting as governor with Republican supermajorities in the state House and Senate.

“My opponent says he’s pragmatic. Well, everybody’s pragmatic for heaven’s sake,” Fitzhugh told a group of 20 Thursday, July 5, at a Midtown meeting of the Shelby County Democratic Women.

“If you get up there in that Republican-led legislature and you’re pragmatic, they are going to roll right over you. I don’t say we have to fight all the time,” he said. “But you need to understand how this state works. You’ve got to stand up for what you believe in from time to time. But you have to also remember that if you don’t have the votes you can’t win but you might as well get what you can.”

Fitzhugh referred to Dean, a former mayor of Nashville, as “my learned opponent who has done everything in one building – City Hall in Nashville.” Fitzhugh touted his experience as a 24-year state legislator representing Ripley as well as being an attorney and banker.

Read more: https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2018/jul/9/fitzhugh-challenges-deans-pragmatism/