The people of Tennessee voted to elect Republican Bill Lee as governor, defeating Democrat Karl Dean.

26 Independents also ran for governor, each receiving 0.2 percent or less of the vote.

Many of the Independents were part of the Libertarian Party, which placed 15 candidates on the ballot to protest Tennessee law which has fewer restrictions on Independent candidates being added to the ballot.

Lee has worked for his family’s construction business, the Lee Company, serving as CEO and Chairman prior to his candidacy. He also helps run the family’s Triple L Ranch.

Lee is native to Tennessee, continuing to live in Franklin.

Gov. Mike Pence is Donald Trump’s choice for vice president.

Trump announced his running mate on July 15, 2016, via Twitter. Pence submitted his withdrawal for re-election after one term as the governor on July 15, 2016.

The state GOP will meet on July 26 to vote on the party’s replacement gubernatorial candidate.

The State Ethics Commission is losing an influential attorney who was recently silenced by the commission’s director.

Attorney Cathy Hazelwood said she will leave the commission after 15 years of service to work at the Department of Education under Republican Superintendent-elect Molly Spearman.Hazelwood was a go-to source for interpretation of ethics laws and media frequently sought her expertise when ethics complaints were filed against public officials.

However, the commission recently created a policy to channel all media inquiries to the director, Herb Hayden.

The policy came close to a year after Hazelwood publically disagreed with Hayden over how to handle an ethics case involving Governor Nikki Haley.

The commission is advertising for a new attorney to fill the position.

The Republican parties of New York and Tennessee have filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 206(4)-5. The plaintiffs allege the rule, which imposes restrictions upon investment advisors and their covered associates making contributions to officials of state and local government entities, violates the freedom of speech protections of the First Amendment.

The suit also takes the position that the SEC does not have the authority to regulate campaign contributions.

If struck down, the elimination of the rule would make it easier for any state governor making a run for president to raise money from the financial sector.

A June 24 federal runoff has been scheduled for the Mississippi Republican Senate primary. Incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran and state Sen. Chris McDaniel will battle again in a tea party vs. establishment showdown. With 49 and 49.5 percent respectively, neither candidate earned enough of the June 3 vote to secure the party nomination.

McDaniel, running on a platform of change, hopes to unseat the longtime incumbent. Cochran’s congressional tenure began in 1972; he then served three consecutive terms in the House and six consecutive terms in the Senate.