Longtime Tennessee Lawmaker Roy Herron Dies Days After Jet Ski Accident

Longtime Tennessee lawmaker and former state Democratic Party chairman Roy Herron passed away on Sunday due to injuries sustained in a jet ski accident. He was 69.

Herron passed away at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, according to a family statement.

Roy Herron Dies From Jet Ski Accident Injuries

According to his family's Caring Bridge website, he had been hospitalized since his July 1 collision with another jet ski on Kentucky Lake, in which he sustained internal bleeding and extensive limb and pelvic injuries.

Per NBC News, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency was conducting an investigation into the collision, the specifics of which were unknown at the time. Herron, a lawyer from Dresden, Tennessee, served 26 years in the state's House and Senate, where he rose to become the Democrats' floor leader and caucus chief.

According to his website, he never missed a day of class, except when his youngest son was delivered. From 2013 to 2015, he served as the state Democratic Party's chairman.

Herron, a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, was among the first students at Vanderbilt University to receive joint degrees in divinity and law. Herron is an ordained Methodist minister and the author of three volumes, including 'God and Politics: How Can a Christian Be in Politics?'

Saturday funeral services were scheduled at the First United Methodist Church in Martin. On Sunday, an influx of condolences was received. Former Vice President Al Gore referred to his fellow Tennessee Democrat on Twitter as "a beloved friend and one of Tennessee's most devoted citizens."

Tributes Pour for Tennessee Lawmaker Roy Herron

Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat, described Herron as "intelligent, meticulous, and honest." A politician who will achieve distinction."

Rep. David Kustoff, a Republican, stated that Herron "dedicated his entire existence to serving West Tennessee and the entire Volunteer State."

Jeremy Faison, chairman of the Tennessee House Republican Caucus, stated on Twitter that he was "the kind of person you couldn't help but like."

Longtime Tennessee Democratic political operative Joe Hill, who worked with Herron on multiple campaigns, stated that when Herron was elected to the state legislature, he "brought a passion for making health care more accessible to disadvantaged Tennesseans."

Hill said Herron also brought this dedication to "education, victims' rights, environmental quality, and many other issues affecting the average person."

Hill stated that Herron's disposition applied to his connections as well. Hill recalled how Herron traveled 225 kilometers (140 miles) to be with him and his family in Memphis after one of Hill's children was involved in an automobile accident.

In 2010, after a fleeting bid for governor, Herron became the Democratic nominee for Tennessee's 8th Congressional District when incumbent Representative John Tanner announced his retirement after more than two decades in office. Herron ultimately fell to Republican Stephen Fincher in the general election.

Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, expressed her sadness over the departure of her former Tennessee State Senate colleague. Jeremy Faison, chairman of the Tennessee House Republican Caucus, stated on Twitter that he was "the kind of person you couldn't help but like."

Herron, a lawyer from Dresden, Tennessee, served 26 years in the state's House and Senate, where he rose to become the Democrats' floor leader and caucus chief.

After a cyclone ravaged his hometown of Dresden just before Christmas in 2021, Herron organized a fundraising campaign and raised more than $100,000 to assist with recovery efforts. Saturday funeral services are scheduled at the First United Methodist Church in Martin, Daily Mail reported.

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