Megan Barry makes a comeback

Flashback: Barry's house has long been a hub for political strategy sessions and shop talk. The holiday parties she hosts with her husband Bruce Barry are an annual who's who of Nashville politics.

• Early in her career, she would host meetings for the Nashville Young Democrats whose members graduated to become top government officials.
• When Mayor John Cooper announced in early 2023 he wouldn't seek reelection, it triggered a cavalcade of gossip about who would enter the race. Speculation circled around Barry, who ultimately decided against it.
• Her presence was still felt in the race, however, as virtually all of the top candidates returned to her house to seek her guidance. Mayor Freddie O'Connell, state Sen. Jeff Yarbro, state Sen. Heidi Campbell, former Councilmember Sharon Hurt and businessperson Matt Wiltshire, a former Barry mayoral aide, were among those who met with her.

Context: After resigning from office in early 2018, Barry devoted most of her time to raising awareness of the nation's opioid crisis.

• Her son, Max, died from an overdose while Barry was in office.
• Asked in February if she considered stepping away from politics following her resignation, Barry told Axios: "Not really. This is what I've always done. Public service is part of who I am."

Inside the room and on the front porch: "People saw how active she's remained over the last several years, even when she wasn't in office, even when she wasn't a candidate," Yarbro tells Axios. "She was deeply engaged on the opioid epidemic obviously, but also opened her home and offered advice and support for other candidates and for causes that she believes in."

• "She not only is somebody who's very aware of the political environment we're in, but she's also somebody who's very strategic about campaigns in general," Campbell says. "She's really good at that, and she's also an incredibly generous person and fundamentally does everything she can to help people around her."

Zoom in: Barry's House campaign has served as a reminder of her political skill. Her television ads have stayed sharply on message.

• The 7th District spans 14 counties, including Davidson, and stretches from the Kentucky border in the north to the Alabama border in the south. Barry made a point of frequently visiting all 14 counties since entering the race last December.
• She's really flexed her muscles on fundraising, raising $1.1 million through Sept. 30, according to the Federal Election Commission.

• Music Row executive Mike Curb, former Gov. Phil Bredesen, country artist Trisha Yearwood and banking executive Kevin Lavender are among her high-profile donors.

The other side: Barry may remain a respected elder statesperson in Nashville politics, but the circumstances surrounding her resignation — it followed the revelation she had an affair with the head of her security detail — are not forgotten.

• Shortly after Barry announced she was entering the race, respected Nashville political commentator Betsy Phillips penned a column for the Nashville Scene harshly criticizing her candidacy.
• When details of Green's divorce and accusations of an extramarital affair came to light earlier this year, Barry's campaign didn't use the dirt for an attack ad.

The bottom line: In a year when former President Trump will bring out conservative voters, Barry's bid is considered a longshot in a district with a solid Republican majority.

• But her well-run campaign and willingness to appeal to rural voters at least forced Green to work for reelection. He ran a negative Barry ad branding her too liberal.
• Two years ago, Nashville activist Odessa Kelly lost to Green by 21.5 percentage points. Stakeholders will be closely monitoring the margin of this year's race.
• "The proof is really in the race she's running," Yarbro says. "Megan is making competitive a race that Republicans used gerrymandering to protect Mark Green's district. That doesn't happen without some real talent, some real work and a lot of people who believe in you."