KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — At a time when politics seems more divisive than ever, longtime Knoxville attorney Chloe Akers has launched an effort to bring Tennesseans back to the voting booth.
The Best of Tennessee announced this week an aggressive plan to root out political extremism in state government and elevate voices in the middle.
"We've become so divisive and the rhetoric around politics has become so hyperpolarized that the state of our politics is no longer finding a way to 'yes'. It's just people sort of screaming 'no' at one another, and that grinds progress to a halt," Akers said. "The Best of Tennessee is designed to cure the disease, to create a system of government that is more effective, that is more reasonable, that is more reflective of who we are as Tennesseans."
Akers, who identifies as a Democrat, says the organization is non-partisan with a bipartisan leadership structure.
The group plans to recruit and fund potential candidates from both parties to challenge state lawmakers whose values they say don't align with their constituents.
"We want to work with community leaders to help them identify what a great representative would look like, help them build a profile, help them recruit someone great and then, hopefully, find someone to run in the 2026 cycle," Akers said.
The Best of Tennessee consists of three entities: a 501 (c)4 nonprofit corporation, a Super PAC and a PAC. Appropriate paperwork for them is expected to be filed in the coming months.
The project launched on the eve of the filing deadline for the state's Republican and Democratic primaries and is gaining support from both sides of the aisle.
Akers said the group is on track to raise more than $1 million from donors across the state by the end of 2024.
"When the best people rise up and become leaders, we are all better for it—regardless of your politics. It's time to create an organization that elevates that once again to the forefront," she said.
You can watch the full interview with Akers below.