Dwight Henry
Encyclopedia
Dwight Henry is a former Tennessee
politician
.
from 1971 to 1973 and then enrolled in Tennessee Technological University
, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts
degree. He became involved in the radio
broadcasting industry and in 1985 was elected mayor
of Cookeville, Tennessee
.
Henry, a Republican, was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives
in 1988 from the 43rd House District, a largely rural
area centered around Cookeville, the site of Tennessee Tech, which had almost uniformly supported Democrats
in the past.
When it became apparent that no prominent Republicans were going to challenge popular incumbent Tennessee governor Ned McWherter
for re-election in 1990, Henry entered the fray, winning the primary election
easily, apparently with the understanding that his chances of defeating McWherter in the general election
were incredibly low, and also that McWherter, a moderate
who was also supported by many prominent Republicans including many of their major contributors and fund raisers, would control the vast majority of all finanicial contributions made to the race.
Henry's appeal was essentially solely to Republican straight-ticket voters and conservatives
, and he received only about one-third of the votes in the November general election. While some speculated that his motive at the time was to become better known and enter other political races in the future, to date he has not done so. He has, however, occasionally served as a radio commentator and analyst with regards to Tennessee political issues.
Dwight Henry is no relation to Jim Henry
, former minority leader
of the Tennessee House of Representatives and candidate for governor in the 2002 Republican primary, but is frequently confused with him, as both have run for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee in recent years, and served together in the Tennessee House from relatively nearby districts.
Henry was the youngest man ever elected to the office of mayor in Cookeville. Because of this, Henry was able to add another record to his family in May 1986. Brittany Kylene Henry was the first baby born to a mayor of Cookeville while he was still in office.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
politician
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
.
Biography
Henry attended Cleveland State Community CollegeCleveland State Community College
Cleveland State Community College is a publicly-supported community college operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents and located in Cleveland, Tennessee...
from 1971 to 1973 and then enrolled in Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree. He became involved in the radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcasting industry and in 1985 was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
.
Henry, a Republican, was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
in 1988 from the 43rd House District, a largely rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
area centered around Cookeville, the site of Tennessee Tech, which had almost uniformly supported Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the past.
When it became apparent that no prominent Republicans were going to challenge popular incumbent Tennessee governor Ned McWherter
Ned McWherter
Ned Ray McWherter was an American politician who served as the 46th Governor of Tennessee from 1987 to 1995. He was a Democrat.McWherter was born in Palmersville, Weakley County, Tennessee...
for re-election in 1990, Henry entered the fray, winning the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
easily, apparently with the understanding that his chances of defeating McWherter in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
were incredibly low, and also that McWherter, a moderate
Moderate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
who was also supported by many prominent Republicans including many of their major contributors and fund raisers, would control the vast majority of all finanicial contributions made to the race.
Henry's appeal was essentially solely to Republican straight-ticket voters and conservatives
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, and he received only about one-third of the votes in the November general election. While some speculated that his motive at the time was to become better known and enter other political races in the future, to date he has not done so. He has, however, occasionally served as a radio commentator and analyst with regards to Tennessee political issues.
Dwight Henry is no relation to Jim Henry
Jim Henry (politician)
James M. Henry , generally known as Jim Henry, was minority leader in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1981 to 1986, and a 2002 candidate for the Republican Party nomination for governor of Tennessee, losing the primary election to U.S...
, former minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
of the Tennessee House of Representatives and candidate for governor in the 2002 Republican primary, but is frequently confused with him, as both have run for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee in recent years, and served together in the Tennessee House from relatively nearby districts.
Henry was the youngest man ever elected to the office of mayor in Cookeville. Because of this, Henry was able to add another record to his family in May 1986. Brittany Kylene Henry was the first baby born to a mayor of Cookeville while he was still in office.