ALERT: The May 5th primary is early next week, and voters deserve to know who is investing in our next mayor before they cast a ballot.
Candidate Randy Bales has said he’s “for the farmers” and wants to protect the rural character of Jefferson County. But campaign finance records show he has received contributions from interests aligned with mining, construction, developers, and other industries, and a contribution from a PAC. We wanted to let voters know that the PAC, Construct Coalition PAC, appears to be associated with Carlyle Construction, LLC — a major development firm based in Morristown.
Carlyle Construction has been a major player in East Tennessee development since 1985, building everything from custom homes to large apartment complexes and commercial projects. They also manage more than 30 rental communities across the region.
With the primary just days away, the question for voters becomes urgent and clear: Who would Randy Bales really stand with — the farmers and the citizens, 90%+ of whom want to preserve our rural way of life, or a major developer and other industries with major growth interests in East Tennessee?