State House District 73 candidates react after argument

JACKSON, Tenn. — After tensions flared Wednesday between State House District 73 candidates, both candidates had very different responses.

“I’m just hearing different reports on Mr. Baxter, and in my opinion it don’t qualify him to be a state representative,” T. Robert Hill said.

“This man is vicious, this man is evil. He wants to smear and damage my campaign,” James Baxter said.

Jackson police responded to a disturbance around 10 o’clock Wednesday morning at the Madison County Election Commission. Police have not identified the two people involved, but T. Robert Hill says the argument was between him and opponent James Baxter.

Hill says the argument started over one of Baxter’s campaign signs.

“I don’t know why he acted in the manner that he did or tried to precipitate some type of physical confrontation,” Hill said.

After declining to speak to WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News Thursday on advice from his attorney, Baxter called a press conference Friday morning.

“In spite of all that’s been said, that’s not who I am. That’s not my true character,” Baxter said. “Those of you out there who know me, you know what I’m all about.”

Hill says he questions Baxter’s motives in both Wednesday’s argument and in the press conference.

“It actually fits much better to his motive to doing what he did than I thought,” Hill said.

Baxter says he does not want to talk about Hill or the argument but said he is focused on winning the election.