Jeremy Faison, chairman of the Cocke County Republican Party, announced Monday that he will seek the GOP nomination for the 11th District seat in the legislature.

The 11th District includes all of Cocke County and those parts of Greene County outside Greeneville to the west and south.

Democrat Eddie Yokley, of Greene County, has held the seat for the past seven years.

Faison did not mention Yokley when speaking here Monday.

Faison, 33, of Cosby, told the Greene County Republican Party, "I'll be more conservative than Republican." He spoke with his one-year-old son, Asher, in his arms "so you folks will look at me."

In the audience, which was large despite snow falling outside, were Faison's mother and his wife, Miriam, and the couple's three other children -- Rebekah, Gage, and Regan.

Faison, the owner of a pest-control business, told the Republicans, "I love this country," but on election day, 2008, "I felt like our country jumped off the deep end of socialism and bureaucracy. I looked at my wife that night, and said, 'We're going into politics.' "

He continued, "I believe, like no other time in history, our country is under attack, and they're attacking the very heart and fibers of what built our awesome, awesome nation.

"The United States of America is the greatest country ever, since God created this world, and I believe it's that way because of the fear of God, because of human ingenuity, capitalism and free enterprise," Faison said.

When a few people responded, Faison said, "I want to launch a fight, with my brother (state Rep.) David Hawk, against bureaucracy, to go to Nashville and fight hard for free enterprise, for capitalism, and for people who just want to be on their own and keep government out of their life."

Also during the meeting, most Republican elected officials spoke briefly. Party chairman Louis Ricker had given declared and undeclared candidates time to speak.

Chase Murray, who is seeking a seat on the Greene County Commission representing the 2nd District, introduced himself.

Gene Norton, who has qualified to run in the GOP primary for Register of Deeds, a post now held by Republican Joy Rader, said he is pleased to be an American and a Tennessean but feels "divinely blessed to be in Greene County."

Norton, a 15-year employee of General Sessions Court who was raised on a small farm in Greene County, said he and his wife, Debbie, prayed for six months about whether he should run for office, and decided that it was time.

After deciding to run, Norton said he went to talk to Rader, and she was "extremely gracious." Norton said he "assured Joy I would run a clean and ethical race."

He continued, "I could not pick a tougher candidate" to try to unseat than Rader, who has served in the post for 15 years.

Ted Hensley, of Chuckey, told the crowd that he had submitted qualifying petitions earlier Monday to represent the Second County Commission District.

"My wife, Linda, supports me, though she says I don't have the time," Hensley said. Noting that some of his neighbors and friends who are Democrats had signed his petition, Hensley said he was asked by one, "What will you promise me?"
Hensley said the only promise he will make is to "take the time to understand proposals so I can vote with a clear conscience."

Hensley said he believes the county "is in for a tough next two or three years," and his business experience as owner and broker of a real estate firm, and the "Christian principles" taught by his Sunday School teacher, Maybrey Gfellers, who had earlier brought the devotions, should serve the county well if he is elected.

David Crum, a detective lieutenant with the Greeneville Police Department, had also turned in his qualifying petition on Monday, seeking a seat in the 8th Commission District.

He introduced his wife, Louise, and his father, former county Emergency Management director and medical examiner Ray Crum.

Candidate Crum said it is important to him to be involved in the community, so much so that he took a voluntary demotion in order to get a straight daytime schedule so that he could be more involved with his family and church.

"I'm not new to the Republican Party," Crum said, reminding several who were present that he could remember, as they could, "when we had a strong Young Republican Party."

Robert Bird, the former mayor of Tusculum and a former FBI agent, said he believes that his long years of government service not only qualify him to serve, but "enables me to serve."

Bird triggered laughter when he asked that those who live in Tusculum and Greystone consider voting for him, "and those that don't, don't bad-mouth me."