The DeKalb County Democratic Party had its potluck dinner on Thursday at the DeKalb County High School. Speakers included State Representative Jason Powell of Nashville and candidate for State Senate 17th District Mary Alice Carfi. Music for the evening provided by Jake Hoot. Food, fun, music, and sign up to get involved with the campaign took place during the evening as well.
“It’s a great turnout and I’m really excited to be here,” Carfi said. “I came here a lot when I was a child because I showed cattle, was in the fair and came to the Jamboree. I came here for court once in a while. I had a lot of friends in 4H that lived up here. Some are still here and some have moved off so I’m excited to be here.”
Carfi, a Wilson County attorney, is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket and will face Republican Mark Pody in the Dec. 19 general election for the 17th District State Senate seat left vacant when Mae Beavers resigned to run for governor.
As an attorney with a solo practice in Mt. Juliet who lives in Lebanon, she believes strongly that state Senate District 17 needs a senator who will bring common sense to the chaos in Tennessee’s General Assembly.
“As a wife and mother, a Christian, small business owner, and taxpayer, I understand the issues facing Tennessee’s working families,” Carfi stated. “I can relate to your difficulty in finding affordable health care, your struggles to make ends meet while working two or three minimum wage jobs, and the desire for your children to have a quality education.
“Everything is so divisive in our country today, which is a major factor in why I decided to run for office,” Carfi said. “Rather than complain about it, I decided it was time to try and do something by working for the people and their concerns to try and bring about change.”
Growing up on a farm in Gordonsville, the only child of Don and Phyllis Eckel, her roots run deep in the Middle Tennessee area.
Her father grew up in Hartsville, and is a retired major in the Tennessee National Guard. Her mother, a Smith County retired school teacher, is the daughter of late Pete and Evelyn Watts also of Gordonsville, who owned Watts Angus Farm. Pete Watts was a well-known building contractor in Middle Tennessee and owner of Pete Watts Construction.
Carfi attended Carthage Elementary, Smith County Junior High, and Smith County High School, where she graduated in 1995 in the Top Ten in her class. She was very active in 4-H, and pursued her love of music by singing, playing the piano, and writing songs. Her ACT score earned her a Presidential Scholarship to Middle Tennessee State University where she graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration.
 In 2012, she received her law degree from Nashville School of Law, where she won the Moot Court Award. She is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and the 15th Judicial District Bar Association. She was chosen as the Best Attorney in Mt. Juliet in 2016 by the readers of The Chronicle of Mt. Juliet newspaper.
Mary Alice has one daughter, Alexia, 9, and is a member of the Carthage United Methodist Church and sings in the choir. She and her husband, Jamie, are both members of the Bert Coble Singers. She also serves on the Bert Coble Singers Leadership Team. She has a step-daughter, Sydney Carfi 25, who lives in upstate New York.