Sen. Brent Taylor, the Republican nominee for the 9th Congressional District, described allegations he sent nude pictures in the past as ‘youthful indiscretions.’ Taylor told the Tennessee Lookout by text that he had ‘nothing relevant’ to add to what he said in previous interviews when asked whether he sent nude pictures to anyone and, if so, whether they were unsolicited or consensual.
A Tennessee Democratic senator, Charlane Oliver, said the accusations did not catch her off guard, describing Taylor as ‘crass.’ Oliver noted that Taylor has been a ‘bully’ toward her but has not made any sexual comments. She also said Taylor ‘doxxed’ her on the Internet, which led to death threats. Taylor said Wednesday night he did not know what she was talking about.
Out-of-state Democratic governors with 2028 ambitions are working to boost Tennessee US House candidates. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s Ready for the Fight PAC, which has already spent $1.6 million supporting Pearson, started running an attack ad against Taylor on Wednesday using the Nashville Scene article as its basis.
State Senate candidate David Weatherspoon, a Democrat running against Taylor in a separate state race, and state House candidate Jesse Huseth said Wednesday, if elected, they would file legislation to make ‘cyberflashing’ a crime. Tennessee has no punishment for sending unsolicited nude photos by text.
Taylor, a first-term senator from Eads in Shelby County, is known for making what he considers comical idioms on the Senate floor such as, ‘hanging in like a crackhead’s last tooth’ and ‘working harder than an ugly stripper,’ a comment that upset Oliver. Oliver said Taylor’s character is ‘unbecoming of a congressperson.’
Taylor said in the Nashville Scene article he was at one time a ’rounder,’ someone who hangs out at bars and gets into immoral activity, after an individual who requested anonymity out of concern about retaliation told the publication they got unsolicited nude photos from Taylor in 2021, before he won the state Senate seat. Another eyewitness confirmed the Taylor photo, according to the Scene report.
Taylor has held himself out as a Christian while in the legislature, in addition to pushing legislation to remove Democratic District Attorney Steven Mulroy from office in Memphis, passing a state takeover of the Memphis City School Board and supporting the Memphis Safe Task Force, which has split the community. His opponent, Pearson, issued a statement this week saying,
