District 40 Representative Michael Hale retained his seat Tuesday after capturing 77 percent of the vote to defeat challenger Daniel Hawthorne.
Hale said the final tally included 14,592 votes in his favor. The district covers four full counties and a portion of a fifth.
“I’m very honored, I’m humbled, and no words to express our appreciation and the gratitude that we have to be re-elected once again,” Hale said.
Hale said his work in the legislature has focused on providing school resource officers and safer schools for the community. Hale said he has also supported grocery tax holidays and Summer EBT programs.
“I think probably the biggest thing is just being in touch with the people, working with our local leadership, government leadership, but then everyday folks and carrying and working on legislation that matters to people,” Hale said. “Summer EBT, grocery tax holidays, safer schools, SRO officers in schools, those things that matter to people and that truly work into making this the best place to live, work, raise a family, and retire.”
Hale said maintaining open lines of communication with city mayors, school boards, and county commissions is a priority for his office. Hale said local leaders understand the specific needs of their individual communities best.
“But when you’re able to sit down with the leadership of those areas and those communities and have those conversations and then be able to go to Nashville or be able to call whatever agency or department that we can call to help those folks, it just none of this is about us,” Hale said. “It’s about our people and the 70,000 that calls the 40th district home.”
Hale said he is not physically present in every county within the district every day to see every situation that arises. Hale said he relies on those relationships to ensure he can contact the correct state agencies to provide help.
“I just want to make sure that I’m doing everything that I can to make their lives better,” Hale said.