Former Tennessee GOP Vice-Chair and state Representative Mary Littleton (Dickson County) announced on Monday her candidacy to succeed Chris Devaney as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party. Mr. Devaney announced last week that he would be stepping down from the position in April.
Ms. Littleton has been an active leader in the Republican Party since 1994. She has served in several elected positions within her local party organization, including as chair of the Dickson County GOP. Ms. Littleton was first elected to the Republican State Executive Committee in 2002, where she served for 12 years. As a member of the SEC, she was twice elected as the state party’s vice-chairwoman under outgoing Chairman Devaney, serving in that role from 2010 through 2014.
Ms. Littleton said, “I believe that our next chairman should be someone who has actual experience serving as a member of the state executive committee and who knows and shares their concerns. The members of the SEC are elected by Republicans in their districts to guide and set the direction of the state party, and they truly are the heart and soul of the Republican Party in Tennessee. As chairman, I will empower the SEC to make decisions and set policy for the party and will work to ensure that each member’s voice is heard. The party is greater than any one individual; if we are to continue to succeed, we can only do it by working together.
“As an experienced small businesswoman and steadfast conservative, I have the maturity, the proven leadership abilities and the political communication skills to be an effective chair of the state party. As a Republican activist and long-time member of the state executive committee, I have traveled across our state representing the party and working to elect conservatives to public office.
“The 2016 election will help determine the direction of this country and this state As we prepare for the upcoming election cycle, it is imperative that we entrust the role of state party chair to someone who has the leadership credentials, the grassroots experience, and the relationships with Republican activists to successfully organize, recruit and fundraise. I will work to motivate conservatives to the polls to elect a Republican president and our other Republican candidates at the federal, state and local levels.
“As chair of the state party, I will fight for our conservative principles and will work tirelessly to ensure that we elect conservative Republicans at all levels of government. I want to continue developing and implementing our party’s successful Red to the Roots program and better utilize technology to communicate our message across the state and turn out the Republican vote on Election Day.”
Ms. Littleton serves in the Tennessee General Assembly, representing Cheatham and Dickson counties, and is vice-chair of the House State Government Committee. She was honored as her congressional district’s Republican “Statesman of the Year” in 2001.
Ms. Littleton lives in Dickson in Middle Tennessee. She is the mother of four children and has four granddaughters. In addition to her years of service and leadership in the Republican Party, Ms. Littleton has been an active volunteer with numerous charitable and civic organizations.