Future901 Endorses Torrey Harris For House District 90

Future901 is proud to announce our endorsement of Torrey Harris as the Democratic candidate for the 90th District of the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 2020 Democratic Primary.

Torrey Harris

Torrey first caught the attention of Future901 during his first run against State Rep John DeBerry in 2018. At that time, he as was able to run an unexpectedly competitive contest against the 24-year incumbent. Then, as now, DeBerry was heavily funded by interest groups from outside the state. It was clear, at that time, that Rep. DeBerry was out of step with his district and needed to be held accountable for his voting record and lack of community engagement.

In 2018, Future901 was impressed by Torrey Harris as he stepped up to run. Torrey is a Memphian by choice who has chosen to make his life in Memphis and works tirelessly to serve others as Human Resource Professional. He has found not just opportunity and professional success in the city, but also roles serving in a myriad of local organizations, groups, and non-profits. He serves as a board member and a member of organizations such as: Christian Brothers University Buccaneer, New Memphis Alum, Shelby County Young Democrat [Treasurer], Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, NAACP, Memphis Urban League, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Board Member for CHOICES, Memphis Reproductive Health & Birth Center, and the Black Business Association of Memphis.

Then, as now, Torrey leads a life steeped in public service and engagement. Last time, Torrey got close to unseating Rep. DeBerry, but was unable to overcome the last-minute deluge of dark money mailers and robo calls from out-of-state PACs trying to help DeBerry.

A lot has changed since 2018. Since then, Rep. DeBerry’s voting record has only worsened. The Legislature forced through a voucher program (which only applies to Shelby and Davidson Counties) during a controversial session that is currently being investigated by the TBI for allegations of vote buying. DeBerry was the only Democrat to vote for it and was the deciding vote on the measure. The voucher legislation will adversely impact Shelby County schools and students by diverting public education funds to private schools.

This bill would have failed, had Torrey Harris, and not John DeBerry been there serving the citizens of District 90. The contrast is that stark.

Similarly, DeBerry has failed to oppose Gov. Lee’s TennCare “block grant” measure. According to the Governor, the plan will cut $1 billion (or as he phrases it “save $1 billion”) from the TennCare program. At a time this was voted on, when it is clear we must expand TennCare, DeBerry could not even bring himself to oppose these cuts. Now, more than ever, supporting TennCare is critical to the health of children, the elderly and the disabled. Again, having Torrey there would make a difference.

But what has Torrey done since 2018? Well, he has continued his community involvement. Our steering committee has even gotten the chance to work shoulder to shoulder with him on a handful of issues in 2019. We have also seen a deepening understanding of the issues in Torrey. Torrey opposes the school voucher program. Instead, he believes that strong public schools should be available to all students, regardless of economic, social, ethnic, or religious background and are critical to ensuring Memphis and Shelby County have the educated and skilled populace to attract the industries of the future. Torrey understands that good public schools alone won’t be enough. He is also forward thinking with regard to sensible gun laws, the fundamental right to health care, human rights and equality, and policies that foster job creation and small business development.

He has a vision for Tennessee that we Future901 Endorsement for Tennessee House District 90, Democratic Primary, Torrey Harris think will be a critical elements for the success of our citizens in the years to come. Tennessee is full of opportunity – but we need leaders like to Torrey to ensure that opportunity is realized. We were impressed and convinced that Torrey is the person to bring service back to District 90. His knowledge of the district, the issues and concerns of its residents, and passion to go to Nashville to fight in the state legislature for his constituents makes him the choice clear.

Future901 asks those who live in District 90 and are interested in supporting Torrey, to please visit his campaign website (https://www.torreyharris.com/) to learn more about him, his policy positions, and background. If you want to learn about Future901 and our mission, please visit our website at https://future901.com/blog or if you would like to support us in our effort to send pragmatic progressives to Nashville, please feel free to contribute at (https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/future901).