They Can Flap Their Gums All They Want
Posted on May 16, 2009 at 7:24 pmLt. Gov. Ron Ramsey spits a line you will no doubt hear on the campaign trail from him in some shape or form almost continuously until at least August 2010:
“Mayor Haslam mentioned a lot about education,” Lt. Gov. Ramsey said. “I’m kind of a been-there, done-that kind of guy. Some of these guys can talk the talk and are good people, but I’m the only who’s been there and walked the walk.”
Buying Into Cammack’s Conversion
Posted on May 12, 2009 at 7:25 amIlissa Gold reports that gubernatorial candidate Ward Cammack was authentic when he told her the reasons why he left the Republican Party and became a Democrat:
Cammack was a Republican up until very recently. While that’s not a deal-breaker on its own, you want to make sure that your Democratic candidates are in it for the right reasons.
So with that in mind, one of the very first questions I asked was what, specifically, made him become a Democrat. And I admit, I was caught off-guard by his answer. He discussed how his youngest daughter became critically ill a few years ago, forcing them to spend a week in the ICU at Vanderbilt, and how they didn’t know what was wrong for several days. It was that experience, that grief and uncertainty, that forced him to see the world in a different way. He realized that while his daughter fortunately recovered, not everyone in that situation has access to the same resources.
Now, I realize that I haven’t been in the political game as long as most of my peers in the Tennessee blogosphere. But this will be the fifth political cycle I’ve been actively involved with, so by now I can distinguish honesty from BS, between which there is an admittedly fine line. Cammack’s answer, and the emotion in his eyes when he gave the answer, left no doubt in my mind ten minutes into the interview that he is 100% legitimate.
At Midnight On The 1st, Lt. Governor Ramsey Is Fixin’ To Make It Rain
Posted on May 8, 2009 at 5:33 pmFresh from the inbox:
Sitting legislators are not allowed to raise funds until the end of the legislative session — or June 1st — whichever comes first. Looks like Ramsey’s not planning on getting out early this year.
Jim Kyle’s End Of Session Gubernatorial Announcement
Posted on May 4, 2009 at 6:48 amIt seems pretty clear what it’s going to be. Jackson Baker reveals that all signals point to a Jim Kyle candidacy for governor:
The nature of that announcement seemed clear enough as he expounded on his likely strategy. “I’m going to build a wall around Memphis,” said Kyle, who had previously floated trial balloons for both a gubernatorial race and one for Shelby County mayor. As he clarified his metaphor, it became obvious which way he intended to go.
“I’m going to build a wall around Memphis,” he repeated, “and then work hard on the rest of the state.” Which is a fairly definite way of saying that, with no other Democrats from Shelby County seeking the governorship, he intends to consolidate home-base support as a first step toward running statewide.
Kyle was asked: Is fellow Shelby Countian Bill Gibbons able to build a similar wall? “Nope,” he said firmly, “not with Brad Martin raising money for Bill Haslam.” Martin, a former state representative and Memphis-based entrepreneur, is one of the state’s high-stakes political players; Haslam, an oil-company scion and the mayor of Knoxville, is favored by many observers to win the GOP nomination.
Very Slightly, I Would Say
Posted on May 1, 2009 at 3:10 pmThe Washington Post says the chances of the Democrat’s holding the executive residence in Tennessee has improved:
6. Tennessee (D): Democrats’ chances of holding the Tennessee governorship improved slightly last week when Mike McWherter, the son of legendary Volunteer State Governor Ned Ray McWherter, announced he would seek the state’s top office. Thanks to his well-known last name, McWherter is the favorite in the Democratic primary although it remains to be seen how good a candidate he will be in his own right. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam remains the frontrunner for the GOP nod and would start a general election with an advantage over any of the Democratic candidates. (Previous ranking: 5)
UPDATE: So do you agree? Is Mike Wherter the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination?
Loading ...SHOCKER: Mayor Will Raise No Taxes During His Gubernatorial Campaign
Posted on at 1:13 pmFrom Hayes Hickman:
Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam unveiled his new budget this afternoon and, as expected, does look like the current budget.
The $165.3 million budget does not contain any new taxes.
A $3 million revenue shortfall has been shored up by cutting expenses by $3 million. He also said the city will not have to dip into its fund balance for operating expenses.
Bye, Bye To Tom Ingram
Posted on April 30, 2009 at 4:06 pmDC says farewell to the man who will architect the gubernatorial campaign of Bill Haslam:
And, last night Sen. Lamar Alexander’s longtime COS, Tom Ingram, held a rather festive farewell party at The Monocle.
It was a packed house, with Sens. Lamar Alexander, Mitch McConnell, Mark Warner, Bob Corker and Former Labor Sec Elaine Chao, plus Minority Leader John Boehner, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, the White House Legislative team, Chuck Schumer’s CoS Mike Lynch, new staff director of the SRC Ryan Loskarn, Jim Jeffries with Alexander, Denzel McGuire of Kyl’s office, Stephen Replogle with the SRC, Rhonda Bentz of Navigators LLC and Jen Morris of McConnell’s office.
Guests were treated to a warm and funny speech by Sen. Mark Pryor’s COS Bobby Russell, Ingram’s DC roommate and cofounder with Ingram of the Bipartisan Chiefs of Staff breakfasts.
How ‘Bout Ned Ray You Intend To Be Friends With Him?
Posted on April 26, 2009 at 8:01 pmSenator Roy Herron on the battle of Dresden, Tennessee gubernatorial candidates:
Asked about the announcement by Mike McWherter, son of former Gov. Ned McWherter, that he is also running for governor, Herron said “I’m not running against him. I’m running for governor.”
“We were friends before the election, and I intend to be friends after it. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about my good friend Mike McWherter.”
Jim Kyle’s Ittie Bittie Twittie Gubernatorial Exploratory Committee
Posted on April 25, 2009 at 3:26 pmSen. Jim Kyle, oft-mentioned as a possible candidate for governor, makes veiled reference to his pondering:
A Kooky Entry On The Kook Power Rankings
Posted on April 17, 2009 at 8:23 amMaybe I’m missing something but how does Mayor Haslam’s family’s settlement of price-gouging lawsuit make him a “kook”? I don’t get it.
3. Mayor Bill Haslam: The Knoxville mayor and top GOP gubernatorial candidate settled a price gouging case with the attorney general for ripping off customers of his Pilot Travel Centers during Hurricane Ike. He’s also rumored to charge neighbor kids 20 bucks for the privilege of mowing his lawn.
Ward Cammack Wants A Piece Of This Junior Story
Posted on April 13, 2009 at 4:59 pmA statement from the gubernatorial candidate on Harold Ford’s decision not to seek the office of governor:
“I will gladly take up Congressman Ford’s call to focus on green jobs and the new economy. We are in an economic reset, and the next governor must have a broad, generational vision and must embrace the new economy.”
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The Gubernatorial Battleground
Posted on at 8:00 amWe’re right in the middle of it:
“The growth of our party in the last 20 years has very much been in this collar around Nashville,” said Rep. Wamp, a declared candidate, of the socalled “collar counties” around the state capital. “Without a candidate in the Republican Party at this point from (Middle Tennessee), it’s a real battleground.” East Tennessee counties remain Republicans’ main base with Chattanooga, Knoxville and Tri-cities media markets reaching some 49 percent of the GOP primary vote in Republicans’ 2006 U.S. Senate primary, according to election returns.
Lt. Gov. Ramsey, R-Blountville, the state Senate speaker who is testing the waters for a bid, said conventional wisdom holds that he, the congressman and Mr. Haslam would split East Tennessee since each has power bases there.
The declared candidate from West Tennessee, District Attorney Gibbons, likely will take the Shelby County area, he said.
“So the two most important areas in this gubernatorial race in my opinion are the collar counties around Nashville… and rural West Tennessee including Jackson,” Lt. Gov. Ramsey said.
The Middle Tennessee collar counties include Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Robertson and Cheatham. Once largely rural, they have exploded in growth in recent years. And many of their new voters are Republican. “All of us understand that Middle Tennessee is going to be a major battleground on the Republican side,” said District Attorney Gibbons. “At this point there’s no candidate from Middle Tennessee. My guess is there won’t be.” Mayor Haslam, also a declared candidate, said he intends to compete in all areas of the state but noted, “Middle Tennessee is an essential part of that.”
(FT: Woods)
Cammack To Use His Financial Wizardry For Good Instead Of Evil
Posted on April 12, 2009 at 11:44 pmGubernatorial candidate Ward Cammack in a blog posting on the TNDP’s new social networking site gives his take on the financial crisis and more specifically the company formerly known as AIG. Spokesman Mark Brown tells us what to take away from the keen financial analysis of Cammack:
Ward has an understanding of the current economy that is unmatched in this field of candidates. To put it bluntly, the 21st Century economy is a complex beast, and we’re presently going through a reset. It’s important that we have political leaders that understand what’ s going on and can see beyond the old paradigms.
Yes, this is similar to some of the risks municipalities were taking with derivatives. Three of our opponents (Herron, McMillan, and Ramsey) voted to allow municipalities to purchase these, and I’m not sure any of them understood what they were voting for. Ward understand the complexities of contemporary financial transactions.
Throughout the campaign, we’ll use our online communications to address various issues. Some of them might not seem campaign related, but, to borrow from Mayor Dean, it’s all connected.
MORE: Post Business
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Maybe They’re Just Not That Into You
Posted on April 9, 2009 at 7:38 amJeff Woods has a sad face on about the Democratic gubernatorial candidates:
Democrats hide from reporters. Eventually, if they’re backed into a corner, they might admit they’re running. It’s like they’re confessing to a crime.
Kim McMillan declared her candidacy in a timid, virtually unnoticed statement to her hometown newspaper. I can’t even remember how Ward Cammack made his announcement. That’s how momentous that was. McMillan has been avoiding reporters for fear they’ll ask her whether she still supports the income tax. I’m not sure what Cammack is doing. I’ve never actually seen him in person, and I don’t know any reporters who have.
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Herron A Go For Guv
Posted on April 8, 2009 at 7:07 amKen Whitehouse reports that the state senator representing some of the most economically distressed areas of the state is running for governor:
The word that has come down from on high – well, at least the 16th floor of the Nashville City Center – is that State Sen. Roy Herron (D-Dresden) is running for governor.
Herron’s name had been widely circulated in the Democratic ranks as being on the verge of throwing his hat into the 2010 governor’s race. According to several NashvillePost.com sources that were in the room, Herron said that he is definitely a candidate.
SEE ALSO: Newscoma
Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Gibbons On WATE
Posted on April 2, 2009 at 5:51 pmVia Wintermute:
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Just A Fancy Word For Defining Yourself Before Your Opponents Paint You As A Rich Daddy’s Boy
Posted on March 31, 2009 at 10:04 amBill Haslam’s gubernatorial campaign has rolled out its full featured website recently and, despite the annoying ploy to get your information before you get to enter the main site, it’s a nice piece of business.
What I enjoyed most of all was the above video. The just under two minute piece features Haslam’s wife Crissy giving the audience a run down on who her husband is. Here’s her description of Haslam’s early work experience after college.
“He went to work with his dad and brother at Pilot Travel Centers. Which is really just a fancy word for truck stops. And they weren’t too fancy in those days. They just had some convenience stores when Bill started. He was president for eighteen years and when he left they had over 250 truck stops.”
Well played. In an economy where wealth, especially handed down wealth, will be a serious weakness this ad paints the privileged Haslam in the best possible light.
The question is: Will it work? Can Ingram and Co. paint Haslam as a hardworking regular-guy, family businessman before Ramsey and Wamp try and pigeonhole him as a posterboy for affluence and privilege who worked once on Wall Street?
Bredesen (And His Polling) On The Governor’s Race
Posted on March 29, 2009 at 4:02 pmHank Hayes reports:
“There have been Democratic candidates come call on me just to introduce themselves, and everybody knows I’m not going to get involved in a primary,” Bredesen said. “On the Republican side there’s a lot of interest and excitement and competitiveness there. I don’t have a read on those things.
“I do a little bit of polling now and then to touch base and see where things are. Nobody has got any statewide name recognition out there. (U.S. Rep.) Zach Wamp is known very well in his district, and the same is true of Ron. In the end it will come down to who can line up the people who can provide that recognition with both money and well-known people.”
Bredesen indicated he still favors a statewide election of the lieutenant governor, who is now elected by the state Senate.
But a statewide election of the state attorney general, Bredesen said, would be a total disaster
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