Glenn Funk declares victory in Davidson Co. District Attorney race

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Glenn Funk is declaring victory the winner on Tuesday night in the District Attorney race in Davidson County.

As of 9:44 P.M., Funk is leading the race with 44% votes. Sara Beth Myers is in second place with 40%, followed by P. Danielle Nellis with 16% of the votes.

“This re-election is not just about Glenn Funk. It is the end of a first 8-year term and there have been some hard decisions that have to be made about some very public cases. But what’s most important is about public safety. And that’s the most important thing,” said Glenn Funk during his victory speech at Winner’s Bar & Grill.

“Public safety does not just mean being successful on the big cases or the serious case. Public safety also means supporting victims relentlessly. It also means making sure we have a system that is fair so that people who do not need to be incarcerated instead get the support and the treatment that they need and we’ve been doing that as an office,” he added.

He said the victory on Tuesday night was 1 percent Glenn Funk and 99 percent the work of the 70 assistant district attorneys. As for what his plans are for the next eight years, Funk said it’s about keeping Nashville safer.

“What we are going to do going forward is we’re going to work to make Nashville an even safer, better, more inclusive city,” Funk said. “I really believe the criminal justice system can bring us together by making sure that we love each other and support each other.”

Funk has faced a lot of backlash and praise for some of the cases his office has prosecuted, from the Waffle House shooter recently to the Delke case where the officer shot Daniel Hambrick to the Vaught trial where many in the nursing community weren’t happy he prosecuted the case.

“We have too many forces in our world today, in our country today, in our state today. On our supreme court these days, who are trying to divide us, but we are better when we work together and care about each other,” Funk said. “That is my commitment to the people in Nashville. That’s my commitment to the people of the great state of Tennessee.”

Several important races in the Democratic Primary in Davidson County, from partisan school board seats to several judges who face competition. Voters were asked Thursday what they were looking for as they chose the next district attorney.

“Honesty, integrity and forthrightness. Coming clean and being transparent about the whole thing and if a DA is not willing to do that, then they shouldn’t be there,” one voter said.

“I think a track record, something that I can see that’s proven and what the person stands for,” another voter said.

The candidates have been vocal about their stance on issues and that includes the leaked draft opinion on Roe v. Wade.

Funk tweeted his statement from 2020 basically saying he will not prosecute any woman who chooses to have a medical procedure to terminate a pregnancy.

Myers tweeted a statement after the leaked draft saying she supports a woman’s right to access safe abortion.

On Instagram, Nellis posted she stands with the moment and our right to exercise autonomy over our own bodies.

News4 asked voters why it was important to come out to vote in the primary election.

“I feel like it’s important that our voices are heard, and especially in today’s time,” one voter said. “I’m very concerned about what’s going on, so it’s important for me today.”

The voter said each and every race on the ballot are important.

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