• • Beth Harwell enters 2018 governor's race touting experience and leadership
• • Mark Norris' nomination to federal post could lead to flurry of moves in Tennessee politics
• • State Sen. Bill Ketron announces bid for Rutherford County mayor
• • Mark Pody enters race for District 17 state Senate seat
• • Nashville Councilman Scott Davis to run for state House seat

Touting nearly three decades' worth of legislative experience, including six years in leadership, House Speaker and Nashville Republican Beth Harwell is officially launching a campaign to become Tennessee's next governor.

"I think I have a proven, practical results record. I have been in state government and proved that I know a great deal about our state. I have the knowledge and experience to hit the ground running on day one," Harwell said in an interview with the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee.

"As governor, I will lead on jobs, cutting taxes, guaranteeing every child has a great school and ensuring our Tennessee values are protected."

In a wide-ranging interview at her Nashville home, Harwell cited her work on a variety of issues from taxes to education as evidence that she is best suited to serve as governor.

She enters a field of Republican candidates that also features former Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd, Williamson County businessman Bill Lee and state Sen. Mae Beavers.

Also considering entering the Republican race is U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn.

The issues

Unlike Boyd and Lee, who for the most part are political novices, Harwell will be relying heavily on her legislative experience.

The main tenets of her campaign center on keeping the state's financial house in order, continuing a commitment to improve education, fostering an environment for a strong workforce and supporting public safety.

"As I travel our state I hear consistently that people are pleased with their state government. When they compare it to other states, or even worse the federal government, they're saying, 'Y'all are doing a good job,'" she said. "I want to continue that."

She's quick to tout the elimination of the death tax and gift tax, the phase out of the Hall Income Tax and several education reforms while she's been in office as evidence of her conservative credentials.

► More:  Gov. Bill Haslam signs Hall income tax cut, repeal into law

Harwell said she has heard from everyday Tennesseans on what they want improved in the state, including the need for more workers with vocational and technical training.

Calling it a myth that everyone needs a college degree, Harwell said, "Most people can make a very good living if they develop work skills to meet the next generation's desire in the workforce."

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Political reverberations of President Donald Trump's nomination this week of Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris to a federal judgeship have started.

The most immediate impact is on the 2018 governor's race.

Norris, who hails from Collierville and has served in the legislature since 2001, was expected to be a candidate given his vast knowledge of state government and the budget process.

But his exit from the race leaves a geographic void among the announced and potential candidates.

The three Republican candidates who have already entered the race - former state Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd, Williamson County businessman Bill Lee and state Sen. Mae Beavers - are from Middle and East Tennessee.

House Speaker Beth Harwell and U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., who are considering launching bids, are also from Middle Tennessee.

Beyond the gubernatorial race, Norris' nomination also creates an opening in Senate leadership for the second year in a row.

Among the first lawmakers to express interest in the majority leader position is Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, who said Friday, "It's something I will seriously consider."

While noting that talk of Norris' potential replacement could be premature, given that the West Tennessee Republican must still be approved by the U.S. Senate, Johnson said he will be discussing the leadership spot with Republican caucus colleagues.

The majority leader role historically shepherds the governor's initiatives through the legislature and Johnson said he has a good relationship and tremendous respect for Gov. Bill Haslam.

"I'm absolutely sure that we would have a great working relationship if I were elected majority leader," he said, adding that he's been supportive of nearly all of Haslam's initiatives.

In recent years, Johnson has sponsored several controversial bills, including a 2016 measure that the American Counseling Association said was a "hate bill."

Johnson's ascension to leadership would have a ripple effect, given that he's chairman of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.

Other candidates

Beyond Johnson, other potential lawmakers who could seek the leadership post include Sens. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville and Bo Watson, R-Hixson.

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State Sen. Bill Ketron will be able to say "four times a charm" if he's successful in his fourth bid to be the Rutherford County mayor. 

The senator says he has the proven leadership to seek better transportation, a solid waste solution for the pending closure of Middle Point Landfill and the "best education we possibly can."

"We're blessed now with two school districts (Rutherford County and Murfreesboro City)," said Ketron, who worries about appropriating the needed funding to build at least a new school each year to keep up with growth. "It's a challenge."

A Republican from Murfreesboro, Ketron ran for the office (once called county executive) in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He served on the Rutherford County Commission from 1990 to 1998 and has served in the state Senate since 2002. Ketron's current term ends in November 2018.

County Mayor Ernest Burgess has served since 2006 and will be finishing his third term in August 2018.

Burgess has not made any formal announcement about his plans once his term is up but said Ketron is well-qualified to succeed him. 

Ketron has the support of County Commissioner Jeff Phillips, a Republican from Murfreesboro.

"He's been attentive as a senator to questions and concerns I've had on behalf of county governmental legislation that's happened in the state, so he's been real responsive and an effective leader," Phillips said. 

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"We need to limit the size and scope of government. Not every good idea should be a government idea," said Pody. "Many good ideas are best done by individuals, churches and nonprofits, not by state government." 

Pody said he believes government has a limited role, and taxpayer money needs to be spent effectively only on programs that fit the role of government.

The second priority for Pody is to bring high-paying quality jobs to the district. He said the best way to gain these high-paying jobs is to create an environment in the state where businesses want to relocate and expand. This is done with a highly educated workforce, commonsense regulations and favorable tax policies for incoming businesses, he said.

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State Sen. Bill Ketron's Sunday announcement to run for county mayor enticed state Rep. Dawn White and Mayor Ernest Burgess to say they want his Senate seat.

The three Republicans all reside in the Murfreesboro area of Rutherford County. 

White notified a representative of USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee through a text message at 4:33 p.m. Sunday to say that she had sent out a news release about running for Ketron's District 13 Senate seat in 2018. 

"I believe that it is extremely important to ensure that our next state senator is a proven conservative leader who has a record of standing up for hardworking Tennessee families," White said in her news release.

"As state representative, I've fought for lower taxes and for smaller, smarter government, and I've proudly stood up against an out-of-control federal government. If I have the honor of serving as Rutherford County's next state senator, I will continue to fight for our shared conservative values at the state level."

Williamson County Republicans on Saturday picked businessman Bill Lee as their favorite GOP candidate for the 2018 gubernatorial election.

The straw poll, in which attendees of the local party's annual barbecue cast ballots by dropping gumballs into glass jars, came after more than 400 attendees heard speeches from Lee, who hails from Williamson County, and state Sen. Mae Beavers of Wilson County.

Lee received 153 of the 243 total votes cast; Beavers received 63 votes.

Neither were U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., or House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, who are considering entering the race and were given jars.

Black received 16 votes, Harwell grabbed eight and Boyd just four.

During his speech, Lee largely stuck to what has become his early stump speech, sharing personal experiences while also outlining a vision for the state.

"I hope that this state of Tennessee, this remarkable place that we live in, can lead the nation in ways that it never has before," he said.

Pointing out that his house is nearby Little Creek Farms in Thompson's Station, where Saturday's event took place, Lee noted how his life has been impacted by both tragedy and connecting with those less fortunate.

The retired lawmaker told a Northeast Tennessee Association of Realtors (NETAR) legislative luncheon on Thursday that he'll be lobbying for Realtors and others.

Ramsey, a Blountville Republican who served as lieutenant governor and speaker of the Tennessee Senate for 10 years, noted a ban on him lobbying state lawmakers expires in November.

"I'll be working for you," Ramsey told NETAR members.

Ramsey, a Realtor and auctioneer, said he's been hired as a member of the Nashville-based Farrar and Bates law firm headed up by his old friend, Tennessee Association of Realtors lobbyist Russ Farrar.

When asked why he isn't establishing his own lobbying firm, Ramsey responded: "I don't want the responsibilities or overhead. I think I can work with someone every day and Russ is that person. He already has a client list ... have you seen the price of rentals in Nashville?"