Political News
In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as
possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. Voltaire
Ramsey wins straw poll among conservatives; Gibbons is last
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey on Friday touted his first-place finish among the four Republican gubernatorial candidates in a straw poll at the Tennessee Conservative Union’s annual meeting in Knoxville on Thursday night.
Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons finished last with only one vote.
Ramsey — the only candidate to attend and speak at the event — got 123 votes.
In a surprise to some, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam finished second with 80 votes, ahead of U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga, who got 70. Commercialappeal.com – 11/7/2009
Ron Ramsey
A sampling of a dozen political action committees set up and controlled by state legislators:
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s RAAMPAC had 2008 expenditures of $476,031 with a balance on hand of $23,252 at last report after spending $28,070 this year, including a $7,000 donation to Ramsey’s gubernatorial campaign.
Rep. Jimmy Naifeh’s Speaker Emeritus Fund, which changed its name early this year, had $336,997 in expenditures last year under the name Speaker’s Fund, and had a balance of $89,636 at last report. Humphreys -Knoxnews.com – 11/1/2009
Legislators Have Their Own Pac’s
A growing number of state legislators are expanding their ability to collect and distribute campaign money by establishing personal political action committees, also known as “leadership PACs.”
At least six personal PACs have been launched by legislators since June, joining about 20 already in place and operating. Humphreys -Knoxnews.com – 11/1/2009
Several eyeing Sen. Bunch’s seat
“I’m thinking about it,” said Mr. Patten, 58, a Republican who served in the Senate from 1986 to 1994. “Let’s say I haven’t ruled that out. I think I’ve got some experience in the Senate, and I feel like I could help our district.”
Earlier this week, Sen. Bunch, R-Cleveland, told the three House members who live in the Senate district — which includes Bradley, Polk, Meigs and McMinn counties — that he would not seek a second Senate term. Andy Sher- Timesfreepress.com – 10/29/2009
In Stunning Accomplishment, Herenton Reverses Flow of Time, Vindicating Einstein
Wait a minute, now! Is it possible that, all these years after Einstein’s Theory of Relativity led scientists to believe in the concept of time flowing backwards, a political figure has actually pulled off the trick?
Former Memphis mayor Willie Herenton seems to have done just that — or to have given the concept a good college try — in his letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, released Tuesday.
In the letter, which follows one to him from the U.S. Attorney’s office formally confirming that he is a target of investigation, Herenton complains to Holder that the probe, into a business transaction of his involving the relocation of a Greyhound Bus terminal, represents “a well-orchestrated attempt to influence the outcome of the Congressional election next year.” Jackson Baker – Memphisflyer.com – 10/27/
Political Money in Marriage: Giving Together, Giving Apart
Nathan Green
Records show that RobinsonGreen PAC, operated by the husband and wife lobbyist team, had a balance of $390 on June 29 of this year when each of the two put $1,000 into the PAC. On the same day, the PAC then gave $2,000 to Ron Ramsey’s gubernatorial campaign, which reported receiving the money on June 29 as well.
Green said the transactions were all handled electronically, but the money should have been deposited earlier in the PAC account under the couple’s normal donating plan. There was no intent to skirt any rules, he said. Humphrey – Knoxsnews.com – 10/26/2009
Lobbyist Money Still Flows to Campaigns — Is Law a Sham?
While lobbyists are prohibited from making direct contributions to Tennessee political campaigns under an ethics law enacted three years ago, many continue to send cash to candidates through three legal paths left open by legislators.
“The ethics reform act was ostensibly created to keep lobbyists from corrupting the political process with campaign contributions. It’s done nothing of the kind,” says Tony Gottlieb. “It’s just a big charade.” Humphrey- Knoxnews.com – 10/25/2009
Knoxville Mayoral race gets competitive
State Sen. Tim Burchett, who’s giving up his legislative seat to seek 
the Republican nomination for Knox County mayor in 2010, plans next week to name Dean Rice, a longtime political worker, as senior campaign adviser, a paid position.
Also, former Sheriff Tim Hutchison, who this week named a treasurer to seek the mayoral position, has sought the advice of Tom Ingram, another longtime political consultant. Vines – Knoxnews.com – 10/17/2009
Turn out the lights, the party’s over for Jimmy Naifeh
Jimmy Naifeh
The day Harry Tindell and Kent Williams (a Republican who voted for Naifeh for Speaker in 2006, and who Democrats elected Speaker partly at Naifeh’s urging) give Jimmy Naifeh the polite beat-down is the day Jimmy Naifeh doesn’t matter anymore, and we know that his reign is truly at an end. We might even see Naifeh announce in the coming year that he won’t run for re-election.
We’ll turn out the lights for you Jimmy, the party’s over. David Oatney – Examiner.com – 10/16/2009
Kelsey to officially take on Pakis-Gillon
Now the real race will begin for the state Senate seat once held by Paul Stanley.
Without any opposition in Thursday’s primary, GOP nominee Brian Kelsey will be squaring off with Democratic nominee Adrienne Pakis-Gillon for the Dec. 1 general election in District 31.
Kelsey, 31, and Pakis-Gillon, 51, greeted voters throughout Election Day as a warm-up to December. Commercialappeal.com – 10/15/2009
Adrienne Pakis-Gillon
Brian Kelsey
Shouldn’t we know who owns property bought or rented by government?
Keep in mind these are hypothetical situations. I’m sure nothing like this would ever occur. But maybe it would be better to be safe than sorry.
If a person owns a piece of property, his name is on record at the courthouse. If you have a corporation, the names of the principles are available. If it’s an LLC, then there is one name and an address to send the tax bill to. But the list of owners of an LLC is not publicly available.
So what’s the problem? Frank Cagle – Metropulse.com – 10/14/2009
Knoxville mayor Bill Haslam takes his gubernatorial campaign to Shelby County.
If district attorney Bill Gibbons, Memphis’ favorite son in the Republican field for governor, has a rear-view mirror in good repair, it’s probably showing him, more often than he’d like, the figure of Knoxville mayor Bill Haslam, a frequent interloper on Gibbons’ electoral home turf.
Haslam, who has made repeated visits to Memphis in his own quest for traction in next year’s gubernatorial race, was here again last week, going door-to-door in a Bartlett neighborhood. “Obviously you can’t visit every household in the state, but we’re doing this three times a week, alternating west and middle and east. Then we start the cycle all over again,” Halsam said. Jackson Baker – Memphisflyer.com – 10/8/2009
Interview with Candidate Mike McWherter
Even though I have a fairly good grasp of the Volunteer State’s political demography, I sometimes still wonder aloud, as I did then, that almost all of the Democratic candidates for governor come from West Tennessee, and that the Republicans, by contrast, hail from East Tennessee. Mike McWherter calibrated my knowledge by stating that it is rural Middle Tennessee that historically holds the deepest Democratic Party support. Joe Lance – Tennessee Ticket – 10/08/2009
Mike McWherter
Former UT general counsel to run for state Senate seat
Add Ron Leadbetter’s name to the field of people who will seek to replace the departing state Sen. Tim Burchett.
The retired associate general counsel at the University of Tennessee has decided to seek the Republican nomination for the seat in what’s shaping up to be a rematch with state Rep. Stacey Campfield next year, Leadbetter said today.
Leadbetter said he will begin fundraising when he announces a treasurer and files the necessary paperwork next week. Knoxnews.com – 9/30/2009
Democrats’ Positions Vary on Guns in Parks
Senator Jim Kyle
At the same time, however, Herron said he supported the “opt out” provision for parks owned by local governments.
Kyle voted against the bill, saying he preferred to leave in place a prior law that prohibited firearms in parks operated by state and city governments throughout Tennessee. Tennessean.com – 9/27/2009
Gubernatorial rivals blast Haslam on gun stance
Bill Haslam
Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga, both vocal supporters of gun rights, are targeting Haslam’s support for a Knoxville City Council vote earlier this week that keeps in place a ban on handguns in city parks, playgrounds and sports fields.
“Once again Mayor Haslam comes down on the wrong side of our Second Amendment rights guaranteed in the Constitution,” Wamp said in a statement. Knoxnews.com – 9/24/2009
Crockett County farmer to seek GOP bid to challenge Rep. John Tanner
Congressman John Tanner
WASHINGTON — Stephen Fincher, a 37-year-old Crockett County farmer and a singing evangelist, announced Tuesday that he is the second Republican to seek the 8th Congressional District seat held by Democrat John Tanner.
Fincher, from the Frog Jump community south of Dyersburg, joins Brighton computer consultant Donn Janes for the GOP nomination. Tanner, first elected in 1988, hasn’t had a well-funded opponent since then. Commercialappeal.com – 9/22/2009
Tommy Burnett
It was about the 15th stop of the day for Tommy Burnett’s state House re-election campaign, and this time he was speeding through the front door of a Jamestown, Tenn., Laundromat, shooing flies and hugging a 50-something lady as she folded clothes. “I’ll be right back,” Burnett announced, doing an about-face on a heel and heading to the car. Moments later he was back with two plastic “Vote Tommy Burnett” fly swatters, and he presented the lady with both the yellow and orange model. They chatted a moment about the election, and then he was on his way. Mike Pigott – NashvilleScene.Com – Sept. 23, 2009.
With no primary foe, Brian Kelsey to resign House seat at end of month
Now that his Republican opponent has dropped out of the Senate race, State Rep. Brian Kelsey said today he will leave his House seat by the end of this month.
With no challengers in the race, Kelsey will be the Republican nominee for the District 31 Senate seat formerly held by his friend, Paul Stanley. Stanley resigned after it was revealed that he had an affair with a legislative intern. James A. “Jim” Harrell of Cordova withdrew his petition to run as a Republican this morning. CommercialAppeal.com – 9/10/2009
GOP Tightening Grip on Senate Seats
With almost a year to go before the 2010 general election campaign begins, the most striking thing about Tennessee political attitudes presently prevailing is the general Republican certainty of success.
That is reflected in Republican gubernatorial candidates already collecting more than four times as much money as their Democratic counterparts. But nowhere is the GOP confidence more apparent than the state Senate situation.
Republicans this year held a 19-14 majority. Party leaders take for granted they’ll have control after the 2010 elections, and many Democrats tacitly concede that is the case.
In fact, the Republican focus a year before the primaries is on intraparty personalities and potential conflicts. Tom Humphrey – Knoxnews.com – August 23, 2009
Republicans Could be Listed First on the Ballots
With Republicans now in control of Tennessee’s election apparatus, GOP candidates could be listed first on Tennessee ballots next year, a reversal from years of having Democratic candidates in the top position.
Blake Fontenay, spokesman for Secretary of State Tre Hargett, said Friday that officials are researching how to make the change in “legally correct fashion.” State law is silent on which party’s candidates are listed first, he said. Roanedemocrats.com – August 22, 2009
Tanner criticizes Wamp for comment about “megasite“
U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Union City, criticized Republican gubernatorial candidate and fellow U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp in a statement Friday for calling the Haywood County megasite “isolated” and said the comment could hurt the area’s chances for development. Jacksun.com – August 22, 2009
Kyle Crafts Run for Governor in Common Terms
When state Sen. Jim Kyle mounted the podium amid those speakers arrayed in front of the McWherter Library at the University of Memphis, he and his supporters outlined different versions of that same idea in announcing Kyle’s 2010 gubernatorial bid.
His campaign Web Site, www.jimkyle2010.com, went live on the morning of his announcement, and near the top of the page visitors are greeted by the phrase, “Let’s Keep Tennessee Moving Forward. Memphis Daily News – August 11, 2009
Ramsey for Governor Says Magic Words on Taxes on His Website
A pro-jobs economy must have low taxes and limited regulation. Under my leadership, the Senate passed the largest tax cut in Tennessee history by cutting the sales tax on food. We also established a permanent sales tax holiday for back-to-school items as well as computers and a wide array of goods used by every citizen.
Boosting the economy is not just about passing good bills. It’s about stopping bad ones. In my first year as Senate Speaker, pro-business groups identified several job-killer bills which passed the House of Representatives. They were all stopped in the Senate. I have a proven record of cutting taxes and regulation to keep Tennessee working.
As Governor, I will keep Tennessee one of the lowest taxed states and stop any effort to pass a state income tax. teamramsey.com
Kyle counting on big Shelby’s Democratic base
The press release handed out as state Sen. Jim Kyle was announcing Tuesday that he would be running for governor was only one page, and his speech lasted less than 15 minutes, but it does not take a political genius to decipher three key elements of his game plan.
The impressive gathering of many of Shelby County’s elected Democrats and party insiders — along with introductions by former county mayor Bill Morris, current county mayor A C Wharton and Memphis Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery — signals his intention to lock down the state’s largest base of Democratic voters. The Commercial Appeal – August 11, 2009
Governor candidate Bill Gibbons says message trumps money
“Our plan does not call for me to raise as much money as the Haslams will be able to raise and contribute to their own campaign,” Gibbons said of Haslam’s family wealth and ownership of Pilot Oil. “We know how much we need to raise to get my message out and that’s what we’re focused on. Have I got to be financially competitive with Zach and Ron? Yeah, probably so, but I think we will be.”
The Commercial Appeal – August 11, 2009
State Rep. Campfield will Seek State Senator Burchett’s Seat
Campfield, a Republican, told the Knoxville News Sentinel that “there is a real opening to bring new, strong conservatism to the Senate. Burchett, a Republican from Knoxville, represents Senate District 7, which covers much of the western and northern parts of Knox County. He is running for Knox County mayor next year. Tennessean.com – August 10, 2009
Paul Stanley: Speaks to Breakfast Group
According to reports from those who were there, Stanley, who was this month’s keynote speaker at the breakfast, spoke on the theme that human conduct consistently falls short of Biblical ideals but that it is important all the same to pursue those ideals. The former senator was pressured to resign from the senate following disclosures of a blackmail plot relating to his sexual relationship with a legislative intern. Jackson Baker - Memphis Flyer – August 10, 2009
Rep. Jason Mumpower tops list of House per diem requests
Rep. Jason Mumpower tops the list of House member per diem requests for the entire past session. Keep in mind these numbers could change due to some back dating that’s been going on with these requests, according to a source.
Speaker Kent Williams’s office issued a letter July 17, 2009 with guidelines on curbing per diem requests during the summer session. News2 found out the top requesters during the summer session for each respective party was Rep. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville) and Rep. Joe Carr (R-Lascassas). No such request from Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of the Seante has come to our attention. You can view the Senate numbers here. nashvilleistalking.com – August 10,2009
Senator Jim Kyle Questions State Laws on Contributions
Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle, preparing to launch a campaign for governor, has suggested in a letter to state campaign finance overseers and other candidates that state laws on political donations need to be updated.
“With the exception of some minor modifications, there has been no comprehensive revision of our finance laws in many years. As a matter of fact, I believe many of the laws currently in place have remained unchanged since the Registry was created in 1989,” Kyle wrote in a letter to Drew Rawlins, executive director of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance. Knoxnews.com – August 7, 2009
Political News from the Nashville Post – July 25, 2009
Political News from Tennessean.com – July 24, 2009
Political News from Knoxnews.com – July 23, 2009
Political News from Jackson Baker – MemphisFlyer.com – July 23, 2009
Kyle Makes First Official Move to Run for Governor
The Memphis Flyer - Jackson Baker – July 2, 2009Ramsey’s Entry Marks New Phase In Governor’s Race
Memphis Daily News - June 2, 2009Vines: Race barely begun for Knoxville Mayor Haslam
Knoxnews.com – Columnist Gerogiana Vines – May 18, 2009Ryder Rules – To Direct GOP National Effort
Memphis Flyer – Jackson Baker-May 21, 2009Is ethics commission on its way out?
Knoxville – New Sentinel – Opinion- May 24, 2009Accusations Fly at TNGOP chairman’s race
Nashville Post – May 22, 2009Blackburn to speak at GOP dinner
Southwest Iowa News – May 21,2009Ford’s Out – and in
The Memphis Flyer – Jackson Baker – April 19, 2009Editorial: Election panel changes course
The Commercial Appeal – May 25, 2009Yep, I’d say he’s qualified to run a political party
Knoxnews.com – Blog – Michael Silence – May 27, 2009Brian Kelsey
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