Tennessee’s Major Party Chairpersons On Closing Tennessee’s Primary Elections

By Kleinheider Posted on February 15, 2009 at 3:01 pm

Humphrey has the words straight from the donkey’s and elephant’s mouth on the effort being spearheaded by Rep. Debra Maggart:

State Democratic Chairman Chip Forrester says that, despite the controversies, he sees “no compelling reason” to change the system.

Only a “fairly small percentage of voters crossover on a regular basis,” he said, and there is “defacto registration” in most cases now when a voter chooses a primary.

Further, Forrester said that some areas of the state are so strongly tilted to one party or the other - the Democrats, for example, in Davidson County, and Republicans in parts of East Tennessee - that many elections are decided as a practical matter in the primary.

“Do you sort of disenfranchise someone from participating in the process, like a Republican who wanted to select a certain kind of Democrat as his congressman in Davidson County?” said Forrester.

State Republican Chairman Robin Smith said she has not definitively decided to embrace party registration, but is sympathetic to the idea in a state where “a lot of conservative Democrats feel they no longer have a home in the Democratic party.”

“Relative to some activity we’ve seen, there is a growing demand among grassroots Republicans to have pure or more pure primary,” she said.

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Tags: Chip Forrester, Debra Maggart, open primary, Robin Smith  

You’re Not The Boss Of Me

By Kleinheider Posted on January 19, 2009 at 7:56 am

Speaker Kent Williams cites some more reasons why he jettisoned the wishes of his party and allowed the Democrats to install him as speaker:

Williams, a Carter County native, bristled when a letter arrived days before the legislature convened Tuesday.

The letter from Rep. Debra Maggart, R-Hendersonville, a party whip, reminded members of the consequences of voting against the party’s nominees for speaker. She enclosed provisions of state GOP by-laws that allow the party chairman to strip the party label from a legislator who doesn’t vote for the caucus’s nominees for speaker.

“As our historic day approaches, it is vital that we all are aware of the Tennesse Republican Party’s position as well as the state chairman’s intentions. Simply put, the state chairman has the authority to remove a House or Senate Caucus member’s name from the Republican primary ballot if that member does not vote for our House or Senate Caucus nominees,” Maggart wrote.

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Tags: Debra Maggart, Jason Mumpower, Kent Williams, Speaker election  

Debra Maggart Asks Doctors To Open Their Wallets

By Kleinheider Posted on September 30, 2008 at 2:53 pm

Because her opponent is coming after their livelihood. In a targeted fundraising letter, the Representative notes her adversary’s occupation as a trial attorney and warns members of the medical profession that they could be in danger:

How can you help me defeat this trial lawyer who seeks to do your industry harm by preying on patients and their families for his own personal gain? I am doing what I can in the legislature, but I need your help to defeat him. I am asking you ~ as a doctor ~ to send a $1,000 donation, if at all possible. We cannot accept donations from corporation but we can accept your personal or LLC check.

The Sumner County Democratic Party is not pleased.

UPDATE: Reaction from candidate Andy Allman:

“While saddened that my opponent sees fit to engage in this lowest form of campaigning, I do take some comfort in knowing that my campaign for positive change in Sumner County is working. Why else would my family and I be subject to attacks such as this unless my opponent was worried about losing?”

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Tags: Andy Allman, Debra Maggart, Sumner County Democrats  

Sen. Black And Rep. Maggart Resign From The League Of Women Voters

By Kleinheider Posted on August 4, 2008 at 7:35 am

Citing the organizations’ lobbying efforts on behalf of issues and legislation out of step with their ideology and their districts, Senator Diane Black and Rep. Debra Maggart have resigned from the League Of Women Voters:

It is distressing to us, as members of the League, to find the legislation we consistently sponsor in both the House and the Senate to be denounced by the state and national organization. It is also a big concern that our dues are going to support the Tennessee LWV lobbyist, Stewart Clifton, who we see on a daily basis at the Capitol fighting good legislation that will benefit our districts, many of these in which we have sponsored.

Read the full letter here as well as the League’s response. The League lobbyist mentioned in the letter, Stewart Clifton, has also responded with his regrets:

I am sorry if the fact that I work on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Tennessee, a group I am also proud to be a member of, played a part in the two legislators’ decision to abandon the League. I know the League is made up of women and men who may not always agree on specifics but whose overall commitment to encouraging active participation of citizens in government keeps them working together.

SEE ALSO:
Ben Cunningham

UPDATE: More from lobbyist Stewart Clifton in the comments.

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Tags: , Debra Maggart, Diane Black, League of Women Voters, Stewart Clifton