Wamp Better Pack A Lunch
Posted on January 5, 2009 at 11:16 amKatie Granju lays out the reasons why recently announced candidate Rep. Zach Wamp is not the frontrunner in the race for Governor despite being a sitting Congressman.
I wholeheartedly agree with everything Granju says here. The Haslam name may not be a household one in every part of the state right now, but never you mind, it’s fixing to be. Not only does Haslam have personal wealth he has the entire moderate Republican fundraising network that will fall in behind him.
While Haslam will not likely get any explicit endorsements early on, the establishment will have his back. And by the establishment, of course, we are not taking about the ideological movement conservatives over at TNGOP HQ. We are talking about the money men. We are talking about Senator Lamar Alexander and his network.
The other reason Wamp cannot beat Haslam is that despite being a member of the class of 1994 he is not a pure ideologue. Yes, he is conservative, far more than Haslam. But he is not a firebreather like Marsha Blackburn or a true believer in the mold of Ed Bryant.
I’m not saying that either model could successfully take on Haslam and the establishment and win but going up against this kind of money and these kinds of connections you need something extra. You need an edge — a persona, a story or a defining issue to sell to the grassroots. Wamp doesn’t posess these things and is unlikely to cobble them together in a year and a half.
Wamp could certainly prove me wrong and upset the establishment but, frankly, I just don’t see it. To beat Haslam a candidate would have to literally light a fire among the grassroots and ignite open rebellion against the Baker Boy establishment out in the Tennessee.
Zach Wamp is not that candidate.
UPDATE: Say Uncle reminds us of Haslam’s achillies heel in a GOP primary: guns. If Wamp is mount a serious campaign he will need to peruse Uncle’s posts on Haslam on the issue and hit Haslam him hard.
UPDATE II: Chris Sanders notes Wamp’s record on gays and hopes he’ll dial down the homophobia. If he hopes to defeat a moderate with money in a GOP primary, he best not.
Comments
8 Responses to “Wamp Better Pack A Lunch”
Agreed.
Well, a Republican governor in the Lamar Alexander mold is a hell of a lot less scary than one of the Bryant/Blackburn bunch.
Ok, if this is the case for Haslam, then it makes Bill Gibbons’ decision to run even MORE inexplicable. Wouldn’t those be the very people he needs to make a creditable showing? Lewis Donelson, bless his heart, is not the power he once was outside Big Shelby, IMO.
[...] Ok, if this is the case for Haslam, then it makes Bill Gibbons’… [...]
Lamar Alexander … mold … yeah, the two go together.
Great early analysis.
Marsha’s strong in Middle Tennessee and with the conservatives that will move the primary. When she runs she will be very competitive. Halsam can have zillions but money won’t buy you love.
Granju is the last person I would seek for advice on a Republican primary race. Some of her comments in that article cited were laughable. For example, her #4. about the “bipartisanship” of Haslam. LOL. Does she really think that movement conservatives in the grassroots care about bipartisanship in a Republican primary? Good luck with that.
Zack “bailout” Wamp and Lamar/RHINO/Haslam will likely not be the Governor’s of East TN.