Spangler: Cancer ‘is almost non-existent’
By Ken Lay
On a night when Republicans celebrated victories and turned their attention to the general election in November, some of the loudest cheers came for someone who wasn’t a candidate.
Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler was one of the first people to take the stage Thursday night at the Republican watch party in Downtown Knoxville.
Spangler drew cheers from those in the audience but he’s term-limited and was not in a race for office.
He’s in a bigger fight and he wanted to tell supporters that it’s a fight that he’s winning.
“Everything is good right now,” said Spangler, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year. “I’m doing good, really good.
“I’ve been blessed. Things are positive. The tumor’s DNA is at zero, which is absolutely where they wanted it to be. I think we started out with it being at 11, so, it’s gone down to where it is almost non-existent. It’s not moving around in my blood system.”
Spangler was elected sheriff in 2018 and won re-election in 2022, defeating former Sheriff Jimmy “JJ” Jones.
“I want you to know that I appreciate all the phone calls, texts and emails,” Spangler said. “It helped and without it, I wouldn’t be here. It’s truly been a blessing.”
“It really helped after I went through my second treatment when things were pretty bad and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go on.”
Spangler said he would continue to serve the rest of his term.
“I’m humbled to be your sheriff, Knox County’s sheriff for the next two years and 29 days,” he said. “I’ll continue to help all of the candidates as much as I can because we have a helluva race ahead.”
Republicans celebrate victories, call for unity in November
By Ken Lay
It was a night of celebration for the Knox County Republican Party. But there was also a feeling of trepidation about the upcoming election in November.
Many who were victorious had plenty to celebrate at the watch party at the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Knoxville, but those who celebrated were quick to point out that the party’s work was not done.
David Buuck was re-elected for a second term as Knox County Law Director. He expressed gratitude, but he also sounded the biggest alarm and warned voters to get out and vote in November. He defeated Democrat Jackson Fenner to earn re-election.
“I’m looking forward to another four years,” Buuck said. “But the Republican Party has to get itself together,
“There are fractures in the Republican Party and we have to come together. The Republican Party has to get itself together.”
Others including Terry Hill (Knox County Commission, District 6), Michele Carringer (Tennessee House, District 16), Elaine Davis (Tennessee House, District 18) and Dave Wright (Tennessee House, District 19), called for unity and implored their supporters to get out and vote.
Becky Duncan Massey also won the primary election for Tennessee House, District 6, and she’ll be opposed by Democrat Domonica Bryan in November.
“I didn’t win this race,” Massey said. “Team Massey won this race.
“I have an incredible team and everybody sacrificed. They gave up time at the lake and gave up time with their family. I have incredible friends in the house. Dave Wright wasn’t putting up his signs, he was putting up my signs.”
Hill won a second term Thursday night. Wright will be unopposed in the general election. Carringer and Davis won their respective primaries but will face Democratic opponents in November.
On the Knox County Board of Education, Travis Wright was on hand. He won the District 8 seat in the primary and was sworn in following the death of longtime board member Mike McMillan.
“I want to thank everybody here and I want to thank the Republican Party and I want to thank all of my supporters.
“I’m already (on the school board) and I look forward to working and serving the children of Knox County.”
The Republicans also won District 5 on the school board as Lauren Morgan was elected as a first-time candidate.
“I look forward to continuing the great work in Knox County Schools,” Morgan said. “I want to continue the excellence of Knox County Schools.
“I’m ready to get to work.”
On county commission, Adam Thompson won the seat for District 8. He noted that the primary was a bit tougher than his victory in Thursday’s general election.
“District 8 is the reddest district and the hard part was getting through the primary because we had a pool of great candidates,” Thompson said. “It’s a great day to be a Republican in Knox County.”
Andy Fox will now represent District 9 on the Knox County Commission. He defeated Democrat Matthew Park and Independent Stacey Bryan Smith.
Fox noted, however, that his biggest opposition came from the Republican establishment.
“I ran as a conservative and I ran as a Christian and everybody was against me,” Fox said. “Victor Ashe, Mike Ragsdale and Mike Arms were all against me.”
