Original Or Extra Crispy?
Posted on August 4, 2008 at 8:03 amThe Knoxville News Sentinel gives some ink to the continuing feud between Rep. Kent Williams and Rep. Stacey Campfield:
Williams said he believes Campfield is not qualified and is ineffective as a legislator, but that he is not especially offended by some of the attacks.
“I grew up shining shoes, so that’s not a big issue with me,” he said, adding that Campfield is among state legislators “who need to grow up.”
“It’s like they’re playing high school games,” Williams said, adding that he considers himself a staunch Republican but willing to work with Democrats on a bipartisan basis after elections. “I think people are just sick of partisan politics.”
Campfield said Williams’ support for Leadbetter should be an asset to his re-election campaign.
“It just shows you who the conservative is in this race and who is going to support conservative ideals,” said Campfield in an interview.
“A Republican voting for Jimmy Naifeh is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders,” he said.
SEE ALSO:
Stacey Campfield
Grand Divisions
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He Voted For Jimmy Naifeh
Posted on August 1, 2008 at 9:32 amUnnamed anti-Kent Williams forces have provided a copy of what may prove to be a very effective ad in the 4th State House District GOP primary between Jerome Cochran and Rep. Kent Williams.
You Got Mud On Your Face
Posted on July 30, 2008 at 8:17 amTerry Frank reports that Rep. Kent Williams, under fire from some of his fellow Republicans for accepting campaign funds from a member of the Democratic House Leadership, is quoted in a mailer from Rep. Stacey Campfield’s primary opponent calling Campfield “a disgrace to the General Assembly and the Republican Party.”
Favors For Friends
Posted on July 24, 2008 at 8:34 amJama Oliver isn’t buying Rep. Kent Williams defense of his acceptance of campaign donation from a member across the aisle:
Would I donate money to a friend of mine from the other side of the aisle? Absolutely not - not unless they weren’t really on the other side of the aisle. I have some good friends - people that I love talking with and with whom I have lots in common other than political views - that I would never, ever, want elected to public office. Why? Because I am so vehemently opposed to their political world views. Friendship has nothing to do with it. I’m “friends” with David Davis, and I’m sure we agree on some issues, but I’m not going to vote for him much less give money to his campaign…so what gives?
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Campfield Implies Rep. Williams Provided Naifeh With GOP House Caucus Agenda
Posted on July 23, 2008 at 7:49 amRep. Stacey Campfield gets in on the back and forth between a group of conservative state House members and their more moderate colleague and accuses one of providing intelligence to the enemy:
I know when those three go to Republican caucus meetings they never grabbed a copy of the meeting agenda and literally ran out of the room to be the first to get it to Naifeh. If that is what it takes to get a “Golden egg” I too will pass.
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Naifeh Republican Comes Back On Conservative Critics
Posted on July 22, 2008 at 8:52 amAdam Groves reports that Naifeh Republican Kent Williams has struck back against his conservative colleagues who came out with a press release castigating him for accepting a donation from Assistant Democratic House Caucus Leader John Litz.:
Williams turned to criticizing the lawmakers who criticized the donation, saying about Reps Chris Crider, Eric Swafford and Mike Bell that, “they haven’t accomplished very much in their home districts. It’s people like this who are killing our Republican Party … I dare say that if a Democrat introduced legislation to give every one in the state a goose that laid the golden egg, these three would vote against it.”
Groves reports additionally that Williams has also run “afowl” of a former conservative legislator for his unauthorized use of letter thanking him for an anti-abortion vote. Go get your daily dose here.
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Kent “No Political Aspirations” Williams Under Fire From Fellow Party Members
Posted on July 15, 2008 at 8:55 pmA confederation of conservative Republican state legislators tonight are rebuking a fellow caucus member calling on him to return an unusual donation to his reelection campaign account. Recently filed campaign finance reports for freshman Rep. Kent Williams reveal a $250 campaign donation from Representative John Litz, the Assistant Majority Leader for the House Democratic Caucus. Via a press release from the conservative confederates:
“This is an outrage,” said State Representative Eric Swafford (R-Pikeville). “It is a slap in the face to his colleagues in the House Republican Caucus. By accepting this money from a leader in the House Democratic Caucus, it seems that Rep. Williams is saying that he is okay with the Democrats killing common-sense proposals like SJR 127 and legislation that protects our Second Amendment rights.”
State Representative Chris Crider (R-Milan) cited Williams’ vote in January of 2007 for House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, adding that this vote, coupled with the monetary donation from a member of the House Democratic Caucus, shows where he stands on the issues.
“You can’t claim to be pro-life and pro-Second Amendment, and then support and take money from those who repeatedly stop legislation that supports those values,” said Representative Mike Bell (R-Riceville).
All candidates are required to file campaign financial disclosure reports periodically, which are public record. All donations above $100 must be reported. Representative Frank Nicely (R-Strawberry Plains) said that after the most recent filing deadline on July 10th, the donation to Williams showed up on his disclosure statement.
Swafford concluded, “I think we know where Kent Williams’ intentions and loyalties lie. They are certainly not on the side of conservative values.”
As noted, Rep. Williams, was one of the “Naifeh Seven” in this past Speaker’s election, an influential yet dwindling tribe of Republicans who pledge fealty to the all-powerful Speaker of the Tennessee State House by recognizing the inevitable and pushing the button for the longtime Democratic Speaker.
Rep. Williams is finishing up his first term in the legislature and faces a primary challenge from the man he beat in 2006, conservative former Rep. Jerome Cochran.
Cochran has some interesting donations in his own right. Incumbent Republican State Senator Paul Stanley has kicked in $250 to the Cochran campaign kitty. Cochran and Stanley served together in the House before Stanley was elected Senator. Republican Senator Rusty Crowe, in a 2007 Year End Supplemental Report, is also listed as a contributer to Cochran.
SEE ALSO:
The Williams/Campfield clash over SJR 127
Does Stacey Campfield Have Political Aspirations?
Posted on May 2, 2008 at 7:41 pmYou’re goshdarn right he does. An interesting little dustup at the end of Capital Hill Chaos yesterday, that you probably won’t see in the papers is this one between Rep. Stacey Campfield and Rep. Kent Williams.
After chief sponsor Rep. Dolores Gresham rose to declare that she would not be attempting to bring up SJR 127, the controversial abortion resolution that ignited controversy when Rep. Dunn tried to bring it up earlier in the day, Rep. Kent Williams, a moderate representative who has supported Jimmy Naifeh for speaker and has drawn a conservative primary challenge rematch, bemoaned the election year maneuvering he had just witnessed during the day on the issue of abortion.
After going on a bit about the unfortunate political posturing over abortion, Rep. Stacey Campfield calls out Williams’ attack on posturing as a political posture of its own. Williams then declares that he has “no aspirations for a political career.” To which Campfield replies:
“Anyone who does not have political aspirations should remove their name from the ballot. Thank you.”
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