KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The newest Knox County Board of Education member is set to take his first vote on the board, around 45 hours after he won the Republican Primary election on Tuesday.
Board member Mike McMillan died in January, leaving the seat for District 8 vacant. Two candidates ran for that seat in the Republican Primary. None ran in the Democratic Primary.
After McMillan's death, the Knox County Commission indicated it would fill the seat with the winner of the Republican primary.
At a special meeting on Wednesday, the commission voted to appoint Wright to the seat of Knox County Board of Education District 8. He was sworn in, shortly thereafter.
"This has been kind of a whirlwind," Wright said.
The Knox County Board of Education will meet on Thursday. Wright said he's working with the law director's office and the board's secretary to help with the learning curve.
"They're going to try to get me up to speed, especially with the things going on for the meeting tomorrow night," Wright said, on Wednesday.
The father, Gibbs High School graduate and small business owner said he ran because he has a "vested interest" in the public school system. His son is an eighth-grader at Gibbs Middle School.
Wright said his focus will be school security, parental rights and other issues with schools at the state level. He beat Republican Primary candidate Tommy Lakins by an 18-point margin.
The Knox County Commission voted unanimously to appoint Wright to the Board of Education District 8 seat on Wednesday, around six months before he would usually take office.