Mae Beavers
Mae Beavers is a former Republican member of the Tennessee State Senate, representing District 17 from 2003 to 2017. On August 23, 2017, Beavers announced that she would resign from the state Senate effective September 1, 2017, in order to run for governor full-time.[1] Beavers later suspended her gubernatorial campaign in January 2018.[2]
Beavers served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1994 to 2002. Before serving in the Tennessee General Assembly, Beavers was a Wilson County Commissioner from 1990 to 1994.
Beavers was a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from Tennessee. Beavers was one of 33 delegates from Tennessee bound by state party rules to support Donald Trump at the convention.[3] As of July 13, 2016, Trump had approximately 1,542 delegates. The winner of the Republican nomination needed the support of 1,237 delegates. Trump formally won the nomination on July 19, 2016. On June 3, 2017, Beavers declared that she would run for governor of Tennessee in 2018.[4]
Biography
Beavers earned her bachelor's degree from Trevecca Nazarene University in 1992. Now retired, her professional experience includes working as a securities broker and court reporter.
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Government Operations |
| • Transportation and Safety, Vice chair |
| • Government Operations |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Beavers served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Government Operations |
| • Transportation and Safety, 1st Vice chair |
| • Government Operations |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Beavers served on the following committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Transportation and Safety, Vice chair |
| • Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Vice chair |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Beavers served on these committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Commerce, Labor and Agriculture |
| • Judiciary, Chair |
| • Transportation |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Beavers served on these committees:
| Tennessee committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Judiciary, Chair |
| • Commerce, Labor and Agriculture |
| • Transportation |
Issues
Law enforcement drones
On February 4, 2013, Beavers introduced SB 796, her proposed "Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act," banning law enforcement agencies from using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for collecting evidence or conducting surveillance. Exceptions to the general ban allow drone use for counter-terrorism activities, for operations for which a warrant has been obtained, or for instances in which a law enforcement agency believes that swift action is needed to save life.[5] Representative James Van Huss introduced the companion HB 591 in the Tennessee House of Representatives on February 4. Beavers' bill was passed by both houses in April 2013 and signed by Gov. Bill Haslam (D) on May 20, 2013.[6][7]
Healthcare Compact
In 2011, Beavers sponsored the Healthcare Compact in the Tennessee State Senate.[8]
Health Freedom Act
In 2010, Beavers wrote and sponsored the Tennessee Health Freedom Act. This act directed the Tennessee Attorney General to join the Attorneys General of other states to challenge the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
The bill passed in the Senate (26-1) in February of 2010, after being recommended by the appropriate Senate committees. In June, five minutes before House Speaker Kent Williams told the House sponsor of the Health Freedom Act, Rep. Mike Bell (Tennessee), that he would vote for the bill and send it out of committee, Williams instead voted to kill the bill.[9]
Elected State Attorney General
Beavers filed a resolution (SJR 698) calling for an elected State Attorney General. Beavers said the change in membership of the legislature gave the measure an excellent chance for passage in 2011.
Beavers passed the measure through the Senate in 2010, but the House of Representatives did not pass it.
“Tennessee is the only state in the nation that allows the State Supreme Court to select the attorney general,” said Sen. Beavers. “Forty-three states already select their attorneys general through popular election and it is time for this General Assembly to also show their confidence in the collective wisdom of the people of Tennessee. I am very encouraged that the recent change in membership of the General Assembly will give this resolution an excellent chance for passage.”
At the time in six other states, the Attorney General is selected by either the popularly elected Governor or the popularly elected state legislature. Beavers said that when Tennessee’s Constitution was written calling for nomination by the Supreme Court Justices, the court was popularly elected.
“Tennessee is the only state in the nation in which the people have neither a direct nor indirect voice in the selection of their Attorney General,” Beavers added.[10]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2014
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for 18 seats in the Tennessee State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 7, 2014. A general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 3, 2014. Incumbent Mae Beavers defeated Clark Boyd in the Republican primary. Beavers was unopposed in the general election.[11]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 Mae Beavers Incumbent |
59.3% | 16,177 |
| Clark Boyd | 40.7% | 11,104 |
| Total Votes | 27,281 | |
2010
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2010
Beavers was re-elected to the 17th District seat in 2010. She defeated Democrat George McDonald in the general election on November 2, 2010. She defeated Susan Lynn and Gordon Borck in the August 5 Republican primary.[12][13]
| Tennessee State Senate, District 17, General Election 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Mae Beavers (R)
|
35,927 | |||
| George McDonald (D) | 21,442 | |||
2006
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2006
On Nov. 7, 2006, Beavers won re-election to the 17th District Seat in the Tennessee State Senate, defeating opponent Bob Rochelle (D).[14]
Beavers raised $369,376 for his campaign while Rochelle raised $627,663.[15]
| Tennessee State Senate, District 17 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Mae Beavers (R)
|
34,525 | |||
| Bob Rochelle (D) | 25,427 | |||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Tennessee scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2017
In 2017, the 110th Tennessee General Assembly, first session, was in session January 10 to May 10.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes related to conservation and environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on education related issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the 109th Tennessee General Assembly, second year, was in session from January 12 through April 22
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the 109th Tennessee General Assembly, first year, was in session from January 13 through April 22.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the 108th Tennessee General Assembly, second year, was in session from January 14 to April 18.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the 108th Tennessee General Assembly, first year, was in session from January 8 to April 19.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the 107th Tennessee General Assembly, second year, was in session from January 10 through May 1.
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the 107th Tennessee General Assembly, first year, was in session from January 11 to May 21.
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Endorsements
Presidential preference
2012
Mae Beavers endorsed Newt Gingrich in the 2012 presidential election.[18]
2016 Republican National Convention
- See also: Republican National Convention, 2016
Beavers was a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from Tennessee.
Delegate rules
Delegates from Tennessee to the 2016 Republican National Convention were elected directly by voters in the state primary election in March and approved by the State Executive Committee of the Tennessee Republican Party in April. Delegates from Tennessee to the national convention were bound for up to four ballots. All Tennessee delegates were bound on the first two ballots. On the third ballot, a presidential candidate needed to receive at least 20 percent of the total vote for his or her delegates to remain bound on the fourth ballot. Delegates were to be unbound after the fourth ballot.
Tennessee primary results
- See also: Presidential election in Tennessee, 2016
| Tennessee Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Donald Trump |
38.9% | 332,823 | 33 | |
| Ted Cruz | 24.7% | 211,234 | 16 | |
| Marco Rubio | 21.2% | 181,059 | 9 | |
| Ben Carson | 7.6% | 64,855 | 0 | |
| John Kasich | 5.3% | 45,258 | 0 | |
| Jeb Bush | 1.1% | 9,548 | 0 | |
| Mike Huckabee | 0.3% | 2,418 | 0 | |
| Rand Paul | 0.3% | 2,349 | 0 | |
| Other | 0.2% | 1,849 | 0 | |
| Chris Christie | 0.1% | 1,254 | 0 | |
| Carly Fiorina | 0.1% | 717 | 0 | |
| Rick Santorum | 0.1% | 713 | 0 | |
| Jim Gilmore | 0% | 269 | 0 | |
| Lindsey Graham | 0% | 257 | 0 | |
| George Pataki | 0% | 189 | 0 | |
| Totals | 854,792 | 58 | ||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State and CNN | ||||
Delegate allocation
Tennessee had 58 delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Of this total, 27 were district-level delegates (three for each of the state's nine congressional districts). District-level delegates were allocated on a proportional basis; a candidate had to win at least 20 percent of the district vote in order to be eligible to receive any of a district's delegates. If a candidate won more than 66 percent of the vote in a district, he or she received all of the district's delegates. If the winning candidate in a district won between 20 and 66 percent of the district vote, he or she received two of the district's delegates; the second place finisher received the remaining delegate (if the second place finisher did not meet the 20 percent threshold, all three delegates were allocated to the first place finisher). If no candidate met the 20 percent threshold in a district, the top three finishers each received one of the district's delegates.[19][20]
Of the remaining 31 delegates, 28 served at large. At-large delegates were allocated on a proportional basis; a candidate had to win at least 20 percent of the statewide primary vote in order to be eligible to receive any at-large delegates. If a candidate won more than 66 percent of the statewide primary vote, he or she received all of the state's at-large delegates. In addition, three national party leaders (identified on the chart below as RNC delegates) served as bound delegates to the Republican National Convention.[19][20]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Beavers and her husband, Jerry, have two children.
See also
- Tennessee State Legislature
- Tennessee State Senate
- Tennessee State Senate Committees
- Tennessee Joint Committees
- Tennessee state legislative districts
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Official campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Mae Beavers on Facebook
- Mae Beavers on Twitter
- Mae Beavers on LinkedIn
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions via Follow the Money
- Voting record from Tennessee Votes.org
- Tennessee judiciary and legislature struggle for power over the Court of Judiciary
Footnotes
- ↑ News Channel 5, "Beavers Steps Down From State Senate," August 23, 2017
- ↑ Governing, "Republican Mae Beavers Ends Campaign for Tennessee Governor," January 31, 2018
- ↑ TN GOP, "TNGOP Confirms Final Slate of 2016 Convention Delegates," April 2, 2016
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Amid protest, Sen. Mae Beavers formally announces bid for governor," June 3, 2017
- ↑ [Text of Missouri HB 591/SB 796]
- ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "Bill information for Tennessee HB 591/SB 796," accessed April 19, 2014
- ↑ LegiScan, "TN SB0796 | 2013-2014 | 108th General Assembly," accessed November 16, 2013
- ↑ PoliticMo, "Missouri to consider joining interstate compact on health care," February 7, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ TNReport, "Beavers Chides Lynn on Health Freedom Press Release," July 20, 2010
- ↑ TNReport, "State Senator Beavers Calls for Elected State Attorney General," January 15, 2011
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Petitions Filed for State Senate and State House of Representatives," accessed April 5, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "2010 Primary Election Official Results," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "2010 Tennessee General election results," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "2006 Tennessee General election results," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "General Election Results," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee Bar Association, "Nashville Chamber Releases 2015 Legislative Scorecard," accessed November 10, 2015
- ↑ Tennessee Bar Association, "Nashville Chamber Releases 2015 Legislative Scorecard," accessed November 10, 2015
- ↑ Tennessean, "Gingrich campaign touts endorsements after losing a major one," March 5, 2012
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Republican National Committee, "2016 Presidential Nominating Process," accessed October 6, 2015
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 CNN.com, "Republican National Convention roll call vote," accessed July 20, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Rochelle |
Tennessee Senate District 17 2003-2017 |
Succeeded by Mark Pody (R) |
