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The Kurita Conundrum Explained

By Kleinheider Posted on September 16, 2008 at 7:52 am

Read the full news analysis by Ken Whitehouse.

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He’ll Make You Famous Like Davis

By Kleinheider Posted on August 17, 2008 at 5:04 pm

Angelia shines a bit of a different light on Democratic prospects in the First District Congressional race after the unlikely defeat of incumbent David Davis in the primary:

Democrat-next-Door that a majority of those statements about Russell have been discouraging, I have to point out they’re factual and not at all unusual. Statements regarding the historical improbability of a Democrat being elected in the 1st will probably become a recurring “add-on phrase” throughout Russell’s campaign - similar to how the unlikelihood of unseating an incumbent had been frequently mentioned throughout Davis’ race again Roe. (And just look what happened there.)

Ultimately, it is my opinion that the Democrat-next-door should stop fretting about Hank and start worrying more about if (or when) Phil Roe will have Mama deliver her trademark Granny-Smackdown on Russell.

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Don’t Be So Quick To Dismiss Davis

By Kleinheider Posted on at 1:59 pm

Former 1st District Congressional candidate Vance Cheek warns against closing the book on Rep. David Davis’s political career:

Now that Davis has conceded the 2008 race and Phil Roe will be out next Congressman, I hear and read all over the internet and mainstream media that Davis’ stubborn refusal to accept defeat will be the downfall of his political career. I assure anyone reading this that nothing is further from the truth.

Davis is angry and bitter. I believe he felt entitled to the same political respect shown Jimmy Quillen and Bill Jenkins by allowing each of them to receive relatively uncontested GOP primaries. Davis will finish out his term with little fanfare and the transition with Dr. Roe will be a very easy one, whether or not Davis cooperates. Heck, in 18 months Davis just now probably found the closest men’s room to his DC office. I submit the key to Davis’ future will begin after the Christmas holiday.

By my pure speculation but based on his previous actions, Davis will pay top consultants to retool his image starting in the Spring. He will find a way, perhaps on the radio, to stay in the public eye and ear. He will move ever so slightly to the center when dealing with mainstream GOP’s. Most importantly, he will energize his small but dedicated base of support early and often.

While Davis retools himself, he will select the best year, 2010 or 2012. Just in his late 40’s, Davis has plenty of time and needs not to rush. When the stars are aligned just right, he will attempt to reclaim his Congressional seat. Hundreds of people who today consider his career ruined will find themselves with Davis yard signs back in their lawn. Will he succeed? It’s too difficult to see from here. I simply am certain he’ll be back.

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TNGOP To Rep. David Davis: Good Call

By Kleinheider Posted on August 15, 2008 at 10:41 am

The folks over at the Tennessee Republican Party are glad that Rep. David Davis decided not to turn the next meeting of the state executive committee into a circus:

Tennessee Republican Party officials today praised U.S. Rep. David Davis’ decision not to contest the results of the August 7 primary in Tennessee’s First Congressional District.

“Congressman Davis’s decision to let the voters of the First District, rather than a parade of lawyers, courts and committees, have the final say on who they wish to represent them in Congress represents the best traditions of American democracy,” said Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.

“State law permits voters to declare at the polling place which party’s primary they wish to participate in, a system that allows Tennesseans to vote for the man or woman they believe is best for the job and, unless an election result has been compromised by actual voter fraud such as false identity or votes cast by the dead, we believe the will of the voters as expressed at the ballot box on election day should be respected,” Smith said. “David Davis has served his community honorably and with distinction first as a state legislator, then as a member of Congress, and now by his decision to let the people’s vote stand without challenge.”

SEE ALSO:
R. Neal
The Hill
Davis’s plans for the future.

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Cooler Heads Prevail: Rep. David Davis Will Not Ask For A Recount

By Kleinheider Posted on at 9:46 am

Though, he wants you to know, that he totally would have won if he had:

“I am announcing today that even though I have the law on my side, I have decided not to pursue an election contest with the Republican Primary Board. I love East Tennessee and I love America, therefore it is in the best interest of everyone concerned that I concede the election to my primary opponent. I have contacted Mr. Roe and made him aware of my decision.

“May God Bless the First Congressional District and may God Bless America.”

SEE ALSO: Angelia reacts.

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Burning Down Tennessee’s Open Primary

By Kleinheider Posted on August 14, 2008 at 9:18 am

Terry Frank becomes on of the few voices encouraging Rep. David Davis to continue to fight his unfavorable election result and mount a challenge to Tennessee’s open primary system:

Lt. Governor Ramsey has said David Davis needs to just pipe down and move on along. I’m not so sure, Speaker Ramsey. If settling the political dust is the goal, then yes. But if cleaning up the system or making it better is an outcome, I say “CHARGE!!” to Congressman Davis.

SEE ALSO:
Josh Arrowood
Joe Powell
Jama Oliver

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Lt. Governor Ramsey Thinks Rep. Davis Should Let It Go

By Kleinheider Posted on August 13, 2008 at 8:01 am

No matter how it happened, it happened, and Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey thinks David Davis should recognize the reality that he lost his bid for a second term in the First Congressional District:

Davis blamed crossover Democrats on Friday for helping Roe to a 486-vote victory in last Thursday’s GOP primary. On Monday, Davis claimed there were “voting irregularities” in the primary and said he had hired a national law firm to see whether he can legally challenge the primary election.

Davis also cited a Tennessee law that prohibits crossover voting “unless you intend to have loyalty to that party.”

Ramsey, however, said he has reminded Davis that Tennessee has an open primary system.

“You declare the way you are voting when you walk into a voting booth,” the Blountville Republican said. “It would be very hard to prove that there was concerted effort to get Democrats to vote in a Republican primary or vice versa. Even if you could prove that, I don’t see it’s illegal.”

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Davis Goes To The Gun

By Kleinheider Posted on August 12, 2008 at 12:16 pm

Rep. David Davis has tapped a top legal eagle to help him in his effort to find the real voters:

The Times-News reports the politician has hired a national law firm that has worked on recounts to examine the issue, which according to everyone else is not really an issue.

SEE ALSO:
Politico
WBIR Talks

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Critical Errors

By Kleinheider Posted on August 11, 2008 at 1:18 pm

A man immersed in First District Congressional politics explains what went wrong for Rep. David Davis:

David Davis made two critical errors in this campaign. First, he overestimated his own incumbents’ advantage. Someone who was not supported in his first election by 78% of the voters in his district does not have any advantage in modern times-period. Secondly, Davis assumed that because some of us endorsed him this time, that we were now his unwavering faithful supporters. The truth is that most of us voted for him because our guy wasn’t running and we thought Davis was the best choice in his place for now. Many more people had a favorite who wasn’t running, except in their minds Dr. Roe represented their man because he wasn’t David Davis.

Dr. Roe’s people campaigned. They marched in parades, they showed up at the Farm Relief concert in White Pine, they handed out fliers and stickers and buttons. David Davis supporters were not to be found at any major events in nearly as large numbers as Roe people, and at many events, they simply had no presence at all. David Davis’ campaign consisted of “look at me, I’m Mr. Incumbent Congressman,” while the Roe campaign ran on a platform of “I’m not David Davis, I’m actually here.”

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Fearing Bipartisanship

By Kleinheider Posted on at 7:02 am

Jama Oliver hopes that newly minted congressman Phil Roe does not go to Washington with the intention of working in too bipartisan a fashion:

I didn’t vote for Davis this year. It’s not, however, that I think Davis was such a terrible legislator, it’s just that we have some fundamental differences in belief on how the Federal government should be run.

What sort of legislator will Roe be (assuming that he wins in November, which is probably a given in this district…)? I don’t know. I just hope that he doesn’t “work across the aisle” in the standard sense of the phrase, or we might as well go ahead and vote for Democrat Rob Russell and be done with it…

SEE ALSO: How Roe Won

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Live To Fight Another Day

By Kleinheider Posted on August 10, 2008 at 11:43 pm

Phil Roe supporter and candidate in his own right for the First Congressional seat in 2006, Vance Cheek, urges Congressman David Davis to admit defeat:

If I were in Davis’ inner circle, I would be strongly pushing for a concession speech for many reasons. Firstly, Davis lost by the same margin he won in 2006 meaning he still has a true base of support. Why risk credibility with this base by looking like a bad sport? Secondly, Davis is young by all accounts. This Roe/Davis action could be the political version of Ali/Frazier. There is no reason Davis can’t try to regain his seat in 2010. Finally and most importantly, a politician must remember that (to quote Dan Quayle) “It is important how you exit, especially if you plan to return”. David is only hurting himself without conceding. He looks like a two time loser who can’t let his “precious” go. He needs to take the high road and I urge him to do so.

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Mike Padgett Concedes To Bob Tuke, The Name You Know Claims Second

By Kleinheider Posted on August 7, 2008 at 10:22 pm

Tennessee’s one and onliest Southern Appalachian Democratic candidate congratulates the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Bob Tuke:

“My hearty congratulations go out to Bob Tuke tonight,” Mike Padgett said Thursday evening.

“Bob is a true Tennessee hero, and he ran a gentleman’s campaign. I have offered him my full support because we both understand how important it is to working Tennesseans that Bob bring Lamar Alexander home.”

The big story out of this race, however, is the out of nowhere, unknown upstart candidate Gary Davis.

With little fundraising and literally no media attention until tonight, Davis outpolled two candidates who were considered “legitmate” by the mainstream and citizen media by virtue of money and position and came within 10% of the current nominee. The question is: how?

Is the Davis story a triumph of an underground, stealthy grassroots campaign? Is it an example of a rare victory for the little guy against big money and big media?

Or is the explanation more troubling? Did Davis’s voters believe that they were voting for one of the two sitting Congressmen in the state, Lincoln Davis and David Davis, with the same surname?

A look at the map leads one to believe that Tennessee may have just had its own statewide theatrical version of the Distinguished Gentleman.

Davis, “the name they knew“, seems to have trumped everything: money, organization and just plain common sense.

A sad commentary on the political savvy of the Tennessee voter.

SEE ALSO:
Associated Press

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Props For Rep. David Davis

By Kleinheider Posted on August 1, 2008 at 5:37 pm

Michelle Malkin notes the actions of the Congressman during the House Republican revolt in Washington today:

“We need an American energy plan and we need it now. The American people are hurting, young families are hurting, senior adults are hurting, small businesses are hurting, Vern from Jefferson County, Tennessee is hurting.

“Vern is an Iraq War veteran. Vern has to drive from Jefferson County all the way into Knoxville. It is costing him over ninety dollars a week to drive to work. He makes eight dollars an hour and is trying to become an electrical apprentice. Vern told me he may have to go on welfare. Vern has a young family and is an Iraq War veteran. Vern wants to do what’s right by his family; he’s already done what’s right by America.

“This Congress needs to do what’s right for Vern and other young families in America, senior adults in America, small businesses in America.

“We don’t need anymore excuses; we need to vote on meaningful energy legislation. We need to do it now. We don’t need to go home, we need to take votes. I am willing to stay here today and vote.

“We voted this week. We had time to vote to go home, and we ought to have time to vote to bring down gas prices at the pump.

“The American people demand it. They demand it now.”

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Rep. David Davis’s Opponent Says Shame On Him

By Kleinheider Posted on at 7:36 am

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Swap It Out

By Kleinheider Posted on July 28, 2008 at 7:44 am

The Bristol Herald Courier urges voters to dump an incumbent Congressman:

Voters have the opportunity to trade up on Aug. 7 by casting their ballots for Phil Roe, a pragmatic conservative with a record of accomplishments as Johnson City’s mayor. They should make the swap.

SEE ALSO: Demarcationville

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Gas Pumping Granny

By Kleinheider Posted on July 23, 2008 at 7:28 am

A new ad from Phil Roe, Republican primary challenger to GOP Rep. David Davis:

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CORRECTION: David Davis Press Release Inaccurate

By Kleinheider Posted on July 17, 2008 at 10:24 am

The Campaign of Congressman Davis got everyone in a tizzy yesterday claiming in a press release that his opponent, Phil Roe, had used the services of a lobbying shop headed up by former Democratic campaign chairman Randy Button.

Turns out, someone (me) should have checked the facts. It turns out that the Capitol Strategy Group on the campaign financial disclosure of Phil Roe is an entirely different outfit than Button’s.

Roe’s Capitol Strategy Group is based in the Nashville area, but in Brentwood rather than downtown Nashville.

Post Politics apologizes for the regurgitation of erroneous information.

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Congressional Delegations Of The State Unite!

By Kleinheider Posted on April 18, 2008 at 9:29 am

Done.

The entire Tennessee Congressional delegation today called for action to ensure that Tennessee students and parents have access to loans to help pay for college in the coming year. Every single member of the TN Congressional District joined a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke asking them to take action to help restore stability in the federal student loan marketplace and ensure continued access to student loans.

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