John Rich approves the longtime friend Jody Barrett for the headquarters of the Maison du Tennessee

Country artist John Rich “Rollin ‘” in the next Tennessee special elections with his own approval in what promises to be a primary race of crowded GOP.

Rich, who constitutes half of the emblematic duo Big & Rich, campaigns alongside her longtime friend, the representative of the State Jody Barrett, while he heads for the replacement of the former president of the internal security committee Mark Green in the 7th district of the Tennessee Congress.

“I know Jody, believe it or not, because we were together in high school. We actually graduated the same high school,” Rich told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“We have stayed in touch, have remained good friends. But in the past four or five years, Jody has been a state representative in Tennessee. And therefore problems that were happening in Tennessee, Jody and I were joining, in a way inside the political world and me from the outside with a very large platform and a general public.

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John Rich performed during the 13th annual advantage of the stars of the second harvest at the Ryman Auditorium on June 6, 2017 in Nashville. (Tim Mosenfelder / Wireimage / Getty Images)

Barrett is one of the 10 Republicans taking place to replace green in the primary of October 7.

The general elections are scheduled for December 2. But in the 7th deep red district, which President Donald Trump won by more than 20 points in 2024, he is probably the winner of the primary of the GOP in mind.

Barrett, as well as the representative of the Gino Bulso state, the representative of the State Lee Reeves, and the former general commissioner of the general services of Tennessee, Matt Van Epps, were the only Republicans invited to debate their candidacy earlier this week by Americans for the prosperity of Tennessee, according to the Tennessee lookout.

Rich told Fox News Digital than to appear alongside Barrett during campaign events, he also promoted the hope of the conservative house to win.

“I actually sent a text to the president a few times about Jody. I said:” You will want this guy to the Congress. I mean, he’s one of your guys. “And so I hope President Trump, maybe he weighs on this race,” said Rich.

However, he added that it is possible that Trump remains away from approving him until the end of the primary.

Jody Barrett, candidate for the 7th Congress of the District, speaks during a political forum on September 8, 2025 in Dickson, Tennessee. (AP photo / George Walker IV)

Barrett supported Trump on a wide range of questions, although he notably broke out from the president’s cocvid-19 vaccine, called the Warp Speed ​​Operation, during the Monday evening debate.

“We now have millions of Americans who are vaccinated against the vaccine, dealing with the results of this vaccine mandate,” said Barrett at the time.

Nevertheless, Rich said that Barrett was linked to the Republicans of Tennessee, and he congratulated him to sometimes have the GOP needs and decisions of the state in the state.

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“What I love real conservatives, it is that we will call people in our own party if we think they make a mistake, if they are on the wrong path, “said Rich.” While on the left, they line up and do everything they were told each time. Jody proved that he will defend what his people want. “”

He said at another moment of the interview: “He is legitimate. I mean, we start to talk about what a conservative looks like? It is this guy. And again, when you know someone since you are 17 years old, and now you are at the beginning of the fifties, and they are the same guy, it’s quite rare.”

The president of the Homeland security committee, Mark Green, speaks at the Capitole in Washington on January 30, 2024. (APO photo / J. Scott Applewhite)

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Barrett was also approved by House Freedom Fund, the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus.

“The solid conservative assessment of Leadership of Jody Barrett, not only the defense of Democrats, but also his own party when the Rinos are disconnected, is exactly what the House Freedom Fund is looking for in a candidate,” Allison Weisenberger said Freedom Fund in Fox News Digital.

Barrett himself told Fox News Digital that he was “honored” to have an approval from Rich.

“John Rich is my lifelong friend, a proud of Tennessean, a legend of country music and one of the strongest supporters of the president Trump of our state. Having his approval means a lot, because he was never afraid to tell the truth and defend conservative values,” said Barrett.