Memphis Mayor Paul Young: “I Ain’t No Fool”

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

From the Principal Toyota Studios, it's Morning in Memphis with Todd Starnes.

Todd Starnes (0:08)

All right, you better put Red Bull on the Froot Loops, ladies and gentlemen. We have got a jam-packed show for you today. Senator Marsha Blackburn is going to be here in just a little while. Connie McCarter, running for mayor in Lakeland, is going to be here. We have a lot of news. It was a terrible weekend for crime across the Mid-South, just pretty much a war zone. Of course, Memphis police are still searching for the people responsible for that double shooting in Hickory Hill over the weekend. That was at Knight, Arnold and Ridgeway. We'll keep you updated there. Another big story we're following, by the way, State Representative Justin Pearson and so-called faith leaders are now renewing calls to end the Memphis Safe Task Force this after this insane weekend of violence. And of course, we are watching the big heat dome. The good news is, folks, there is some relief on the horizon. And KWAM's Chief Meteorologist, Laura Huckabee, will be along in just a little while to tell you all about that. In the meantime, we are honored to have in studio one of the busiest guys out there in the Ninth Congressional District, State Senator Brent Taylor. In studio this morning, Senator, good to have you.

Brent Taylor (1:25)

Good to have you. Glad to be here. I knew there was a 7.04 in the morning because I got to look at the clock and tell it was actually 1 This is really early, Todd.

Todd Starnes (1:33)

It's very early and I'm a night owl. This is my problem. So I have to force myself now to go to bed early and it never works out. Normally there's a football game or something on the weekend and it catches my attention. And the next thing you know, three hours of sleep.

Brent Taylor (1:46)

I'll tell you what happens. I do the same thing. I wind up watching television and watching the History Channel or something. And next thing I know, I'm all into some ancient aliens documentary that's really important at one o'clock in the morning. And then when I have to get up the next morning, I'm thinking, oh, what in the world was I thinking? I don't even care about ancient aliens.

Todd Starnes (2:06)

Speaking of alien creatures, can we talk about this race? First of all, how's it going? You've been literally out there. I know you've been getting some blowback from the local folks who miss you because they haven't seen you. And the reason why is it is a freaking big district here in the ninth.

Brent Taylor (2:23)

It is. It's 200 miles long.

When I go to Fayetteville, for example, we were just in Fayetteville over the weekend. You go all the way over there. It is a four-hour trek from Memphis all the way over to Fayetteville. And then you turn north and you go all the way up to Williamson County. It is a very big district and it's 750,000 of the finest Tennesseans you ever want to meet.

Todd Starnes (2:48)

What is something that maybe you did not know that you know now about the district?

Brent Taylor (2:52)

Well, just how diverse it is. I mean, it literally looks like Tennessee. It stretches from Whitehaven at Graceland. It has an urban core. It has a suburban area to it and suburban Shelby and Fayette counties. And then you go up to Williamson County. There's a suburban area there. And then there's a lot of rural area.

So it's been it's been interesting to see how this district really does look like Tennessee. And I think that will make make me and Charlie Hatcher, who's running the fifth district, make us better congressman because we will have to really represent much of what Tennessee looks like.

Todd Starnes (3:30)

I think there is a lot of concern here locally. We had a a black pastor call in and he was, he is very concerned that Justin Pearson is gaining ground. I think everybody's seen the polling that allegedly said he was within four points, pointing out you've got to do your research into the polls and that's a left-leaning poll. But still four points. What do you make of that? What's going on there? Because people are scared about having a DSA candidate elected in the ninth.

Brent Taylor (4:00)

Well, first of all, the polling that Democratic socialist Justin Pearson put out, it does not match our polling. However, I will say it is a bad environment, Todd, for Republicans. I mean, if you look at districts all across the country, Democrats have the advantage going into this election. So there are headwinds for Republicans. So we have to treat that poll as if it could be accurate. And that's why we're out every, every week campaigning, getting our message out that look, the way to and we know, by the way, Todd, that people are feeling the pinch at the gas pump. We know that they're feeling the pinch at the grocery store. But to get inflation down and to help improve the economy, you can't elect a Democratic Socialist. What you need to do is elect somebody who has a record of making sure that we cut wasteful spending and that we cut regulation on our family farms and our family businesses.