Don’t Think He Won’t Go There: Odom Gets A Challenger

By Kleinheider Posted on November 18, 2008 at 10:59 am

Jeff Woods reports that Rep. Gary Odom will not be unopposed in his quest to retain the title of Democratic Leader in the state House and his challenger, Rep. Craig Fitzhugh is not pulling any punches:

Craig Fitzhugh is challenging Gary Odom to become leader of the Democrats in the state House, and the caucus could meet this weekend to vote.

Fitzhugh, chair of the House Finance Committee, is from Ripley (believe it or not), and his candidacy may represent the last gasp of the old West Tennessee Democratic mafia.

He won’t say it, but his sales pitch is likely that Odom is a screwup whose mistakes contributed to the Democratic election debacle. If they elect Odom as their leader, Democrats may be putting their trust in the very one who led them into the political wilderness.

As majority leader, Odom feuded with House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, and some Democrats are complaining that the bickering between the two kept the party’s House campaigns in disarray.

“Call it the taking-your-eye-off-the-ball syndrome,” one Democrat tells Pith. “Remember: Here’s a guy who bolted for his honeymoon in Europe during the budget’s crunch time this year.”

Of course, the woman who contributed to the 57 year-old Odom taking his eye off the ball was the 24 year-old former Miss Rachel Zamata who, before marrying Odom, was a Capitol Hill intern.

SEE ALSO: Bill Hobbs

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Tags: Craig Fitzhugh, Gary Odom, honeymoon, marriage, Rachel Zamata  

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