TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Sep 8, 2021

Memphis City Council member and attorney JB Smiley Jr. formally announced today that he will run for the Democratic nomination for governor, the Daily Memphian reports. Smiley kicked off his campaign in the lobby of the Orpheum theater where he touted a campaign plan he says is different from past Democratic statewide campaigns. “We need to talk about education. We need to talk about how we are going to expand Medicaid,” Smiley said. “We need to talk about what we are going to do with this infrastructure. … We need broadband access.” Other contenders in the Democratic primary include Nashville physician Dr. Jason Martin, North Memphis activist Carnita Atwater and Casey Nicholson of Greeneville. Smiley opened Smiley & Associates in 2017.