The Slow Schism Heal
Posted on May 7, 2009 at 8:18 amJackson Baker on the after effects of an important speech by Lincoln Davis to the health of the Democratic Party in the state:
That act, Davis’ speech itself, and the very fact of his being there signaled to many in the crowd the pending resolution of a schism between Forrester and the party’s liberal wing, on the one hand, and, on the other, the party’s conservative establishment, represented by Davis, the state’s other congressmen (except for Memphis’ Steve Cohen, who stayed out of the factional dispute), and Governor Bredesen.
That much healing remains was indicated by the fact that the only congressman attending was Davis, who happens also to represent Monteagle in Congress. Conspicuously absent were representatives of the governor’s office.
As a result of a recent working compact between the party’s two wings, Forrester and his team will focus on party organization and grassroots efforts, while candidate recruitment and fund-raising will be the province of the establishment, with Bredesen and the congressional representatives having direct oversight.
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Help
Posted on May 5, 2009 at 7:31 amYou elected represents ask for some on your behalf:
U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and U.S. Reps. Jimmy Duncan, Lincoln Davis, Bart Gordon and John Tanner have joined Gov. Phil Bredesen in requesting that President Barack Obama issue a federal disaster declaration for four counties in Tennessee to help state and local governments recover costs for damages related to recent storms.
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Rep. Lincoln Davis Lays Hands On Chip Forrester
Posted on May 4, 2009 at 7:42 pmThe highlight of the TNDP Summit in Monteagle: Rep. Lincoln Davis puts his arm around the chairman of his party and says the following.
“I’m not completely through yet set back down. Also about a year and three or four months ago, many of us thought Hillary Clinton was gonna be the nominee — and she would have been a good one.
But there was this young fella, who knew how to organize at the grassroots level. We’ve got a chairman who understands that, too. And those of you in this room understand that. It is the grassroots organization that will win back the majority in Tennessee. Chip, thank you.”
Forces allied with Davis have long been suspected (along with those of the governor) of being the instigators behind the recent discord within the party.
See the exact moment at this link.
Money Men Did In Fact Flee From Forrester
Posted on March 20, 2009 at 4:41 pmThe AP’s got the indisputable evidence:
Federal election disclosures show the Tennessee Democratic Party is struggling to raise money in the aftermath of a leadership struggle.
The Federal Election Commission report filed on Friday shows the party under new Chairman Chip Forrester only managed to raise about $31,000 in February. That compares with about $211,000 raised in the same month of his predecessor Gray Sasser’s stint in charge of the party.
UPDATE:
Braisted says it’s time to step it up.
Knoxrebel weighs in.
It’s Not The Decision Which Was So Much In Question As The Timing Of The Announcement
Posted on March 8, 2009 at 5:58 pmRep. Lincoln Davis tells Herman Wang that his eschewing a race for governor had nothing to do with who the chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party was and everything to do with which committees he sits on in Congress:
“If I had stayed on Financial Services or Agriculture,” Rep. Davis said, referring to his previous committee assignments, “you would not have had an announcement that I am not running. You probably would have heard from me on March 31 that I am running for governor.”
Rep. Davis, who would have been the presumptive Democratic frontrunner in the 2010 gubernatorial race, said his decision not to run had nothing to do with his opposition to the election of Chip Forrester as Tennessee Democratic Party chairman, as some political observers have speculated.
Rep. Davis was among several prominent Tennessee Democrats, including Gov. Phil Bredesen, who declined to support Mr. Forrester’s bid to head the state party, preferring Charles Robert Bone, whom backers said had a stronger fundraising background.
Rep. Davis made his announcement that he would not be running for governor just days after Mr. Forrester’s selection in January.
But in an interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Rep. Davis said the opportunity to serve on one of the most prominent congressional committees was too good to pass up.
PREVIOUSLY: The Chip Factor
Rep. Lincoln Davis A No For Governor
Posted on January 29, 2009 at 7:17 pmA presser confirms what everyone had pretty much figured:
After discussions with family and friends, and spending some time alone in prayer, I have come to the conclusion that I can be of better service to the state I love by remaining in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Anyone seeking a higher office has to consider not only what they can do in their new position, but what they give up for the people they represent. As a new member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will have a significant opportunity to practice fiscal responsibility of our nation’s finances and assure the priorities of my rural constituents are heard loud and clear. This recent appointment is an opportunity for the district I represent that I could not easily turn away from. Moreover, I can continue making sure Oak Ridge National Lab, Arnold Air Force Base, the University of Tennessee Space Institute and other regional needs have committed representation in Washington.
I believe our future Governor will need to be a good manager of our state’s resources, be a good ambassador, and surround him or herself with people of good character. Additionally, our State Constitution says that every child should be afforded equal access to a good education, which I hope will be the centerpiece of the incoming administration. Governor Bredesen has done an exceptional job given the mess he inherited and our current economic troubles.
My decision not to run for Governor does not take away from my unflinching commitment to the state of Tennessee, where I have spent my entire life. I will continue to travel the state, and seek out ways for me to best serve the people of Tennessee.
While Davis had more or less said before the start of even the 2008 election cycle that he would likely be a candidate for Governor in 2010, recent events indicated he probably would not, in fact, be a candidate.
As cited in the presser, Davis’s appointment to the powerful Appropriations Committee certainly played a big role. Other factors likely to have affected his decision was the historic (almost) handover of the state legislature to the Republicans and the handover of his own party to a radical band of Obama activists in stark rebuke of his wishes.
Also, the unfortunate verbal gaffe of his chief of staff, Beecher Fraiser, over then candidate Obama’s alleged “terrorist connections” and the resulting fallout probably didn’t help either.
SEE ALSO:
Jeff Woods
Tom Humphrey
Herman Wang
Lincoln Davis On The TVA Spill
Posted on December 30, 2008 at 12:59 pmThe congressman who represents the area where the environmentally-unfriendly accident occurred comments through spokesman Tom Hayden:
Our office has been in contact with the TVA and local elected officials since the accident occured. Today, Congressman Davis toured the spill area and was briefed on the accident and what is being done to remedy the situation. During the briefing, Congressman Davis called on the TVA to take care of everyone affected in any way, be sure to prevent any toxins from getting into the water systems, and to present a plan to the public with solutions so this does not occur again
Double Dipping The Chip
Posted on December 19, 2008 at 7:42 amBen Vos endorses Chip Forrester for TNDP chair:
On November 5th, Chip Forrester announced he is running for TNDP chair. He has the support of most TNDP Executive Committee members, and is running on a platform that will respect, empower, and include more Tennesseans in the political process. Forrester immediately worked to reach out to the Obama campaign in Tennessee. In addition, he called for improved communications among state party officials, and between party leaders and the netroots.
He is being opposed (within the past 2 weeks) by Charles Robert Bone, a young attorney who helped with Obama’s fundraising committee, but also helped manage Harold Ford Jr.’s campaign in 2006. Bone is being supported by … none other than Lincoln Davis, the same US Rep who failed to endorse or support Obama. Party insiders speculate that Bone has the support of Davis because both share a Christian conservative viewpoint. Bone is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which holds to traditional gender roles, does not allow women in leadership, and sees homosexuality as an inherently sinful lifestyle. (Progressive? Not so much…)
Lincoln Davis is not an all-bad guy - he’s managed to hold a Democratic seat in Congress in one of the most conservative districts in the U.S. But Davis’ opposition to Obama and his unwillingness to support a progressive agenda have made him “Republican-lite” or “Democrat in Name Only”, and he’s using insider connections rather than an open process to push forward his agenda.
Keeping The Change And The Conservative In The Coalition
Posted on December 17, 2008 at 11:06 amSean Braisted discusses the essential problem anyone seeking to lead the Tennessee Democratic Party will have:
While I agree with Chip that this inclusive nature might be the strength of the Democratic party, it also offers a unique problem in the Tennessee Democratic Party. For many Democrats in rural Tennessee, there is an eyelash width of difference between themselves and the Republicans on social issues. So when one group of people, say gay activists, want equal rights, and another group of people, Conservative rural Democrats, are hell-bent on keeping them from getting those rights, it presents a significant roadblock in message unity.
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The Democratic Other
Posted on at 8:01 amA Republican learns to respect her congressman:
Today, Lincoln came to the Grundy Rotary meeting. His explanation on the auto bridge loan was dead-on worthy of an attaboy. His focus was the 123 supply companies (and multi thousands of jobs) that would go out of business in his district if the Big 3 went thru bankruptcy. As the old saying goes…all politics are local. That explanation hit home.
I’ve known Lincoln since Spring ‘03 when we attended a dinner at the Icelandic Embassy in DC right after his election. Politics is a small world and I have learned to appreciate Lincoln as a person. And that will make it hard in 2010 if he decides to run for Governor. He is a good man.
So I guess the moral of the story is…don’t ever get to know your opponent in war.
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Lincoln Davis Still Thinkin’ On A Race For Guv
Posted on December 11, 2008 at 2:52 pmFrom the Associated Press:
Democratic U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis says he will make a decision early next year about whether to run for governor in Tennessee in 2010.
Davis said in a conference call with reporters today he is taking a serious look at the race and will be “having some meetings in January and February to analyze what needs to happen.”
Lincoln Gets Appropriately Committeed
Posted on at 12:19 pmFrom Herman Wang:
Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., announced today he has gained an assignment on the House Appropriations Committee.
Tennessee now will have two members on the committee, with Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., being the other.
“We’ll be working with the governor, and we will all be working together, as we have in the past, to make sure that funding for those special needs in our state will be met,” Rep. Davis said.
Targeted Free Trade
Posted on December 10, 2008 at 12:13 pmBen Cunningham has the 411 on tariff suspension bills filed by members of Congress:
The biggest reduction by far is $1.5 million for Toho Tehax America, Inc. in Rockford, TN sought by Lincoln Davis.
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The New House Majority Made Lincoln Davis’ Mind Up For Him
Posted on November 10, 2008 at 2:41 pmJeff Woods talks to state Senate Democratic Caucus Political Director Mark Brown who argues that Democrats in Tennessee only do well when the top of the ticket is strong. Woods points out why this will be important two years from now:
The above analysis makes it all the more imperative for the party to field a strong candidate for governor in 2010 against Bill Frist, the likely GOP nominee. The good news for Democrats is that Lincoln Davis is probably now more likely to run. Before the election, he was said to be leaning toward staying in Congress. Now, he might as well run for governor since Republicans in the legislature are about to gerrymander him out of his job in Washington.
SEE ALSO: R. Neal
You Really Wanna Presume Lincoln Davis’s Vote In That Scenario?
Posted on November 2, 2008 at 11:42 pmBecause I’m not sure I would. R. Neal thinks in the case of an electoral college tie that the Tennessee delegation would cast its lot with Obama in the House of Representatives:
In the highly unlikely event of an electoral tie, the 12th Amendment provides for the House of Representatives to select the president. Each state gets one vote, decided by a vote among its delegation. Because Tennessee has five Democratic Representatives v. four Republicans, Tennessee’s vote would presumably go to Obama.
RELATED: Dan Cleary
The Gubernatorial Destabilization Act Of 2008
Posted on October 4, 2008 at 9:21 pmEvans Donnell assumes that Lincoln Davis’ no vote on the bailout means he running for Governor. Maybe. Then again, he’s a pretty populist conservative Democrat, always has been. He might have voted that way regardless of his intentions.
The vote that interests me the most among the Tennessee delegation was that of another possible Gubernatorial candidates, this one on the GOP side. Rep. Zach Wamp, while voting with the GOP and Davis against the bailout on Monday switched course Friday and voted with bipartisan elite consensus for the bailout.
Now, Wamp has said if Bill Frist does not run for Governor, he likely will. Likely puts it mildly. In many ways, Wamp already is running. Wamp, despite no serious opposition in his Congressional race, has been buying up billboards, some very much outside his district. Wamp is a candidate.
The question is: why break ranks with the populist conservatism amongst the grassroots of Tennessee if you intend to run for Governor? Why let Lincoln Davis and Marsha Blackburn get to your Right on what was a very visible, important vote?
Was it to curry favor with some of the high roller types that he may need to fund his campaign coffers? Or is it something different? Was Zach Wamp sending a message to the moderate Republican powers-that-be in Tennessee that he is not a bomb-thrower, that he can be counted on to compromise and make the hard choices needed to govern.
If Bill Frist does not run for Governor on the Republican side, Mayor Bill Haslam of Knoxville, like Zach Wamp, is another candidate looking hard at the race. Haslam is a man very much of the Lamar Alexander/Howard Baker school of almost non-ideological, pragmatic GOP governance.
In a way, the fact that in a Fristless Governor’s race Wamp’s chief rival would likely be Haslam makes Wamp’s vote even more intriguing. One might think that Wamp positioning himself in a potential race against Haslam would want to place himself as the conservative alternative to the Knoxville Mayor, even at the cost of painting himself a bombthrower.
This is exactly where Marsha Blackburn is positioned. While the congresswoman gave some indication she was on the fence, she ultimately elected to vote with the conservative grassroots and against the bailout. Blackburn is also talked up as a possible Gubernatorial candidate. If the question of who the “true conservative” would be in a Governor’s race that included Blackburn and Wamp, clearly, with this vote, Blackburn has further solidified her case.
But is the title of “true conservative” in a statewide GOP primary really something worth having? What Wamp might have been weighing in the politics of this vote was the history of statewide politics in Tennessee and his fellow class of 1994 revolutionaries’ role in it.
While there have been many Republican statewide victories in Tennessee, no one outside the moderate Howard Baker wing has ever been successful. Van Hilleary, in his run for Governor in 2002, and Ed Bryant, in his two runs for Senate, have been kept on the outside of higher elected office.
An ideological movement conservative candidate has rarely won a statewide GOP in this state. And when they do, like Van Hilleary, they lose.
This may be, in the end, what caused Wamp to eschew Blackburnism and vote the way successful statewide GOP politicians like Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander voted on one of the most crucial measures the Congress has taken up since the authorization of War in Iraq.
House Passes Bailout
Posted on October 3, 2008 at 12:34 pmBy a vote of 263-171.
A majority of GOPers again opposed the plan. Ninety one House Republicans voted for it, and 108 voted against, again casting doubt on McCain’s ability to rally members of his own party behind a measure that he suggested was necessary to rescue the Republic from doom.
Zach Wamp was the only TN member to change his vote from Monday. Everyone else stays put.
So Wamp and the Democrats in favor, Lincoln Davis and the Republicans in opposition.
Interesting that the two most likely (I’m not counting Blackburn, yet) Gubernatorial candidates in the delegation are the two bucking their party on this.
REACTIONS:
Six Meat
Angelia
Blogger Blaster
Silence
Tim Chavez
He Wants His Country Back
Posted on September 16, 2008 at 7:56 amIndependent candidate in the Fourth Congressional District, Kevin Ragsdale, offers this self-produced political ad called “Gone in Sixty Seconds”:
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