Better Than The Anti-Bryson: Secretary Of State Candidate Denies Responsibility For Website

By Kleinheider Posted on November 19, 2008 at 2:51 pm

Former gubernatorial candidate and state senator Jim Bryson makes clear in a conversation with Post Politics that he had nothing to do with a website touting his candidacy for the constitutional position of Secretary of State.

“I’m in the same position you are,” Bryson stated. “I’m trying to figure out exactly who this is and what it’s about. It’s professionally done and looks like something I might have done or put someone up to. That’s not the case.”

Bryson said he first found out about the site earlier this week when he was sent an email asking how long the site had been up.

Yesterday, after a few days of the website’s existence in the public domain, a press release was issued revealing the man behind the website, Joshua Pendergrass. Sen. Bryson says he believes he has met Mr. Pendergrass before but did not ask him to create the site and neither he nor his people have coordinated with him.

Bryson said he has tried to call Pendergrass to talk to him about the site but has not yet touched base with the apparent creator of the site.

“I certainly appreciate the interest and enthusiasm for my candidacy but the simple fact is that this election is about 132 votes. It is not a popular election,” explains Bryson. “This is about a lot of personal phone calls explaining my qualifications and what I plan to do in the office.”

Bryson was hesitant to speculate on whether this independent effort on his behalf would be helpful or hurtful in getting the requisite amount of votes for his candidacy in the legislature but was pleased to learn that the internet venture was for him and not against him.

“This isn’t the first time a website about me was created without my knowledge,” said Bryson referring implicitly to a negative blog attacking him during the 2006 Gubernatorial campaign. “At least this one is positive.”

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Tags: Anti-Bryson, Bryson for Tennessee, constitutional officers, Jim Bryson, Secretary of State