MEMPHIS—Senate minority leader Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, is calling on the Tennessee General Assembly to reject culture war politics and focus on policies to boost working families following new voter research released by Vanderbilt University. In its new poll, the GOP-controlled legislature’s disapproval rating hit a record high.
Vanderbilt pollsters said, “The Vanderbilt Poll also indicates that—on topics such as abortion gun control and safety, and federal support for education—the Tennessee legislature adopts positions that differ considerably from the opinion of most registered voters, including Republicans, in Tennessee.”
Statement from Sen. Raumesh Akbari:
“This new research confirms again that Tennessee families want this legislature to pass bipartisan policies focused on what matters: strengthening neighborhood public schools, making healthcare more accessible and bringing down costs for working families. State Republicans have gone too far with their no-exceptions ban on abortion and their blockage on gun safety reform. This poll should be a wake-up call.
“Let’s quit wasting time and tax dollars on culture wars and start working together on the real-life challenges facing working families.”