Kyle Officially Enters Governor’s Race

Memphis Democrat Jim Kyle formally entered the race for governor Tuesday. The state senate minority leader says he’ll boost Tennessee’s economy by helping college dropouts finish their education.

Kyle says some 30 thousand Tennesseans are within a year of earning their degree but have dropped out. He says he’ll use lottery reserve money to fund a scholarship and bring them back to school.

“And when this happens, ladies and gentlemen, when they return to college and get their degrees, overnight our percentage of educational attainment will skyrocket and we will be competing for the high wages and recession-proof jobs that are going somewhere else today in America.”

Kyle says he’ll make former students “an offer they can’t refuse,” but was short on details. He says he’ll release more information in the next few months.

Kyle is entering a crowded field in which three Republican candidates have reported raising over a million dollars, while no Democrats have.

WEB EXTRA:

Kyle:

“I make this promise to every Tennessean who enrolls in a higher education institution in Tennessee: So long as you are making sufficient progress towards obtaining your degree, we will never, never raise your tuition. What you pay as a freshman you will pay as a senior.”