Phillip Pinion retiring: I’m totally burned out By JOHN BRANNON
Messenger Staff Reporter
In a surprise move Tuesday, incumbent Democratic state Rep. Phillip Pinion of Union City announced his retirement, effective Nov. 4.
“I’ve been thinking about it a couple of years. I just decided it was time to go. I’ve thought about it, prayed about it. I just felt it’s time to retire,” said the veteran legislator, who represents House District 77 in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
The district is comprised of Obion and Lake counties and a portion of Dyer County.
Pinion recently filed qualifying papers to run for re-election. His decision to retire negates his candidacy. He said he will deliver a formal letter to the Election Commission Thursday morning stating that he wishes to remove his name from the ballot of the upcoming primary election.
Pinion, 55, was first elected state representative in 1988. He has been re-elected in each election cycle.
A rare combination of preacher and politician, Pinion borrows from Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 — “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven” — in writing a personal message to the people of House District 77. (See Page 2 for the message in its entirety.)
Pinion said he’s not retiring because of health problems. He said he feels better than he’s felt in years. “I feel I have 10 more good working years in me,” he said.
He doesn’t know exactly what he’ll do after he leaves office. He has been “looking at some opportunities.”
But this much he does know: It’s time to go. “To everything there is a season, and I know it’s time for new blood,” he said. “I just feel that, with 20 years’ service in the Legislature, it’s time. I just want to step out of the limelight and go to the highest office of all, that of citizen of the great state of Tennessee.”
Pinion said he’s notified Gov. Phil Bredesen and House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh of his decision, and that both “tried every way they could to get me to reconsider.”
“I told them it’s a decision I’ve prayed about and thought about, and I feel at peace about,” he said. “You know when you’re burned out. I’m totally burned out. It’s time for something different.”
A successor?
Before he announced his retirement, Pinion faced only one announced opponent. His imminent departure from the House seat he’s held so long may throw the race for the Democratic nomination for the District 77 House seat “wide open.”
“Under Tennessee code, they have seven days (to file qualifying papers),” he said. “There are some who will qualify whom I think will be very good candidates to take my place in the Legislature.”
Does he have anyone in particular in mind that he would support? “Not that I’d name,” he said. “Let them do that. There’ll be an announcement in Friday’s paper of someone who’s going to run.”
Looking back
Pinion, who is chairman of the House Transportation Committee, also served on the House Education Committee.
Looking back, he said he has good feelings about several public projects that, with the help of Congressman John Tanner and state Rep. Roy Herron, are “in line” to be completed. They include four-laning Highway 45 from Trenton to Union City; building the I-69 route through West Tennessee; building the Cates Landing Riverport in Lake County; and building a new spillway at Reelfoot Lake.
“My term expires on Nov. 4. I’ve got seven more months left in office,” he said.
Reaction
State Sen. Roy Herron (D.-Dresden) said Pinion has served the 77th District with uncommon devotion and exceptional effectiveness. The people of the district, “and I personally,” will miss him.
“He has not only been an excellent legislator, he’s been my friend of many years,” Herron said. “I’ve known him since we were students at UT Martin together. Our friendship has been both long and solid.”
Published in The Messenger 4.9.08 | 
