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U.S. Rep. Phil Roe captured the Republican nomination Thursday, defeating Kingsport native Todd McKinley by roughly 55,000 votes, according to unofficial results.
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Election 2018

Roe defeats McKinley, setting up November showdown with Democrat Olsen

Johnson City Republican Phil Roe moved a step closer Thursday to being elected to his sixth term in the House of Representatives, but first, he will have to get past Democrat Marty Olsen in November.

Updated Aug 2, 2018 at 11:43 PM
Mickie Lou Banyas, left, and Todd McKinley, both veterans and Kingsport natives, will challenge U.S. Rep. Phil Roe in Thursday's 1st Congressional District Republican primary.
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Election 2018

Q&A with McKinley, Banyas: Motivation to run, veteran issues & accessibility

Todd McKinley and Mickie Lou Banyas will be challenging incumbent Phil Roe for the Republican nomination to represent Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District on Thursday.  

Updated Jul 31, 2018 at 11:31 PM
U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, sat down with the Johnson City Press and Kingsport Times-News editorial boards Monday to discuss a variety of topics, including his level of accessibility to constituents.
zvance
Election 2018

Roe on constituent accessibility, 'I'm out all the time'

A common complaint shared among Tri-Cities constituents — both Democrat and Republicans alike — is the apparent lack of accessibility to their congressman, U.S. Rep. Phil Roe. 

Updated Jul 31, 2018 at 10:51 AM
Brenda Barnett, left, chairman of the Veterans Memorial committee, and Jeny Walker, right, the Mountain Home National Cemetery director, unveiled the rendering on Monday of a new gateway and arch that will be built on the cemetery property across from the Veterans Memorial.
bcampbell
Mountain Home National Cemetery

New gate, arch for Mountain Home National Cemetery will tie it to Veterans Memorial

As work continues on the third phase of the Veterans Memorial in Johnson City, another project to complement and connect it to the Mountain Home National Cemetery was announced Monday.

Jul 30, 2018 at 5:21 PM
U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, spoke briefly Thursday with local media about the ongoing trade war and its effect on farmers, why he wouldn’t participate in a forum for candidates seeking his seat and the deadline imposed on the federal government to reunite children and parents separated at the country’s border.
nbaker
Phil Roe

'Farmers don't want a handout,' Roe says of bailout

U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, spoke briefly Thursday with local media about the ongoing trade war and its effect on farmers, why he wouldn’t participate in a forum for candidates seeking his seat and the deadline imposed on the federal government to reunite children and parents separated at the country’s border.

Jul 27, 2018 at 12:02 AM
A packed crowd attended the Carver Park Recreation Center Thursday to hear Democrat Dr. Marty Olsen (right) and Republican Todd McKinley (left), both candidates in Tennessee's 1st Congressional District race, speak during a forum hosted by the NAACP.
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Election 2018

Packed crowd filled Carver Recreation Center to hear Olsen, McKinley forum

If Thursday’s crowd was any indication, voters in Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District want to learn more from Democrat Marty Olsen and Republican Todd McKinley.

Jul 27, 2018 at 12:01 AM
Republican Todd McKinley (left) and Democrat Marty Olsen (right) have confirmed they will participate in a 1st Congressional District candidate forum, hosted by the NAACP, on Thursday. The forum will begin at 6 p.m. at Carver Park. Incumbent Phil Roe will not be attending.
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Election 2018

Olsen, McKinley to participate in NAACP candidate forum on Thursday

Still not sure who to vote for in the Aug. 2 primary for Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District?

Jul 24, 2018 at 11:25 PM
Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Diane Black laughs with former Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey during a campaign event Thursday, July 5, 2018, at her downtown Johnson City campaign headquarters.
nbaker
Tennessee Governor

Black musters local endorsements to bolster governor campaign

At a campaign event Thursday in downtown Johnson City, governor hopeful Diane Black and the cadre of politicians there to support her stuck to the social issues that resonate well with Tennessee voters.

Jul 6, 2018 at 4:00 AM
U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, says there is no military solution to the nuclear weapons problem in North Korea. The Tennessee Congressman instead says diplomatic and economic pressure is needed to quell the threat to America and its allies in the region.
JCP
Congress

Roe appointed to negotiate the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act

U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, was among 30 congressmen appointed by House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday to help negotiate the federal government’s annual defense authorization bill, totaling approximately $716 billion. 

Jul 3, 2018 at 7:33 PM
Courtney Johnson, founder of the East Tennessee State University Neurodiversity Club, and others from the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, met with the staffs of Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, both R-Tenn., and Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, urging them to support disability rights legislation.
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health care

Local disability rights advocate goes to Capitol Hill to push for change

A local disability rights advocate and activist traveled to Washington D.C. last week to urge state representatives to push for legislation supporting those with autism and other disabilities.

Updated Jun 26, 2018 at 11:32 PM
JCP
Tuesday Trivia

Tuesday Trivia: NE Tennessee's congressmen

How long have Republicans held the 1st Congressional District seat in Tennessee?

Jun 19, 2018 at 8:30 AM
A protestor yells at U.S. Rep. Phil Roe as he exits City Hall out a side door following a Monday morning press conference where he announced his reelection campaign. Most of the protestors, organized by activist Ed Wolff, held signs opposing President Donald Trump's immigration policies.
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Congress

Demonstrators concerned about immigration policies crash Roe's re-election announcement

Considering the political divisiveness throttling the country, it was no surprise to see energized demonstrators, protesting President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, crash Republican incumbent Phil Roe’s press conference Updated Jun 18, 2018 at 6:59 PM

(From left to right) Republican challenger Todd McKinley, Democratic challenger Marty Olsen and 1st District U.S. Rep. Phil Roe.
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obamacare

1st District congressional candidates support coverage of pre-existing conditions

In a rare showing of consensus among opposing candidates, all three contenders for Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District seat seem to agree on one thing: Preserving healthcare coverage protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions.

Jun 13, 2018 at 10:38 PM
As We See It
JCP
As we see it

Why is Phil Roe ducking public forums?

The congressman should hold open, public meetings on this most public issue. If he’s afraid of an open forum and facing his constituents – all of his constituents – maybe he should think again about running for another term because he’s clearly unwilling to listen to those he allegedly represents.

Jun 9, 2018 at 8:00 AM
Army veteran and 1st District Congressional candidate Todd McKinley opened his campaign headquarters Thursday in downtown Johnson City. McKinley said the office will serve as his campaign's base of operations, where volunteers can host meetings and voters can come ask questions.
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Todd McKinley for Congress

McKinley opens congressional campaign headquarters in downtown Johnson City

U.S. Army veteran Todd McKinley’s 1st Congressional District campaign now has a place to call home in downtown Johnson City, just as the Republican primary begins to heat up.

May 18, 2018 at 11:59 PM
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