Tennessee: Republicans praise SCOTUS pick. State GOP members including Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker praised President Donald Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Said Corker, For more than 12 years, Judge Kavanaugh has served honorably on the federal bench, hearing critical cases before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a well-respected jurist who understands the importance of upholding the Constitution and applying the law in a fair and independent manner… Mississippi: Bryant receives ‘Confederate’ honor. Governor Phil Bryant this month received the annual Gov. John J. Pettus Heritage Award from the Sons of Confederate Veterans, of which he is a dues paying member. As many southern states struggle with their Confederate heritage, Bryant has not backed away from his… Texas: Teachers fight campus carry. Teachers throughout Texas this week protested the state’s campus carry law, which allows students to carry guns inside college classrooms. Proponents of the bill say they lack the basis to challenge its legality.