CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Once again, state Rep. Curtis Johnson has easily won re-election in state House District 68.
“It’s an honor. It’s been an honor for 18 years to represent Clarksville and Montgomery County. My family has been by me all the way, and we’ve got a lot of good things coming.”
Johnson said the margin by which he won stood out to him, and it was an honor to win by such a margin. He won with 71% (13,500 votes) to Monica Meeks’ 28.76% (5,469 votes).
He attributed his victory to his track record. “I have an 18-year track record. I think the voters and our residents realized that what we’ve got is really good. I mean, all you have to do is look around. I think they wanted more of the same.”
Johnson also gave a look ahead at what residents can expect next. “We’re growing so fast. Infrastructure has been front and center, not only this year but over the last several years, because we’re growing so fast. We have so many people moving in here. We’ve got so many road projects on the books that are going to be started,” he said, noting that he also wanted to take a serious look at crime.
He said he looks forward to another term. “It’s been an honor that I can’t explain to be able to do this for the last 18 years and get elected to do it two more and have a great family behind me.”
Meeks: No regrets
Monica Meeks, who ran against him on an independent ticket, said she has zero regrets.
“Very humbling, but zero regrets, because I did not want him (Johnson) to have an uncontested race again,” Meeks told Clarksville Now. “He has had several, and he does not answer constituents. He only talks to a certain class of people. It’s very heartbreaking.
“The No. 1 reason I ran was for medical cannabis, because 80% of Tennesseans want it. It affects the veteran population. We have almost 30,000 veterans here in Montgomery County. That’s why I decided to run because he ignored me,” she said.
Meeks said running on an independent ticket may have affected the results. In addition, she stated she could have handled certain comments differently.
“You don’t have to throw a stick at every dog that barks, and sometimes, the going back and forth could have been a bit of a distraction.”
Meeks doesn’t plan to run for office again. “I’m going to continue to show up the school board meetings and pay attention to what’s going on at the county commission meetings as well as the city meetings. So, I won’t stop being active in the community and informing people of what’s going on.”
MORE: Election results: Final results for all Clarksville races, plus governor and Congress
About the candidates
House District 68 covers eastern and southern Montgomery County, including Sango and the east side of Clarksville.
Johnson, who has represented District 68 for 18 years, currently serves as Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Select Committee on Ethics. He is also a member of the House Commerce, House Insurance, and House State Government Committees, as well as the House Business & Utilities and Public Service Subcommittees.
Meeks, who has lived in Adams for 13 years, has a master’s degree in criminal justice and is a certified fraud examiner. Following 20 years of Army service, she began working for the state of Tennessee. Meeks is an active member of two veteran service organizations.
Christian Brown, Jim Key and Chris Smith contributed to this report.
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